Travis Head Ascends the Ranks with Stunning Century, Joins Elite Trio in Test Batting Rankings

In a scintillating display of skill and resilience, Travis Head‘s remarkable century in the World Test Championship Final has propelled him to new heights in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings. The left-hander’s superb knock of 163 runs across the first two days at The Oval saw him surge three places, joining forces with Marnus Labuschagne (1st) and Steve Smith (2nd) in an extraordinary top three, boasting a formidable rating of 884. 

A rare historical feat

Notably, this marks the first time since December 1984 that three batsmen from the same team have occupied the coveted top three positions, echoing the legendary trio of Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, and Larry Gomes from the West Indies. 

Facing a challenging situation as Australia stumbled at 76/3 in the second session, Head unleashed an attacking onslaught, countering the opposition’s momentum. Stepping up after the departure of Labuschagne, the left-handed maestro showcased remarkable resilience and partnered with Smith in a formidable 285-run stand, ultimately proving to be the pivotal difference in the contest. India, unable to close the gap, faltered in their pursuit of runs, while Head’s spectacular innings left an indelible mark on the game. 

Alex Carey, who contributed significantly with scores of 48 and an unbeaten 66, was also rewarded for his efforts, vaulting 11 places to secure the 36th spot with a tally of 592 ranking points. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma (729) and Virat Kohli (700) find themselves placed at 12th and 13th positions, respectively, after the enthralling clash. 

Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland get rewarded 

On the bowling front, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon made a noteworthy upward move, climbing two spots to share the sixth position with England’s Ollie Robinson (777). Although Lyon had limited opportunities to showcase his skills in the first innings, his pivotal contribution helped Australia gain a substantial lead. In the second innings, Lyon truly shone, claiming impressive figures of 4/41, including the final wicket of Umesh Yadav, thereby playing a vital role in Australia’s triumphant campaign to lift the mace. 

Further down the rankings, the rising star Scott Boland continued his ascent, surging five places to secure the 36th position (534), surpassing Mohammed Siraj, who claimed 4/108 and 1/80 in the match, by four places. Ravichandran Ashwin, despite being left out of India’s side for the final, retained his crown as the top-ranked bowler with a rating of 860. 

No changes in Test all-rounder rankings, minor changes in ODI rankings 

In the Test All-Rounder rankings, no significant changes occurred in the top ten, although Cameron Green made a modest climb to the 15th spot (178). Shardul Thakur, exhibiting his versatility with both bat and ball during the Test, moved up three places to claim the 31st position. 

While the ODI rankings witnessed minor shuffles following Afghanistan’s series with Sri Lanka and UAE’s home series against the West Indies, the most noteworthy move in the top ten was made by Wanindu Hasaranga. His exceptional performance of 3/7 in the final ODI against Afghanistan propelled him to the 9th position in the All-Rounder Rankings, surpassing Dhananjaya de Silva.

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