Shubman Gill Overtakes Babar Azam as No. 1 ODI Batter
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises to be an exciting tournament, with the top teams and players in the world competing for the title, and the new rankings adding an extra layer of interest to the competition, as Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja look to lead their team to victory.
Shubman Gill has surpassed Babar Azam to become the new No. 1 men's ODI batter in the ICC rankings, achieving a rating of 796 points, following his exceptional performance in the 3-0 series win against England where he scored 259 runs at an average of 86.33 and a strike rate of 103.60.
This is Gill's second time at the top, having previously achieved it during the 2023 ODI World Cup. His recent century against England played a significant role in catapulting him to the top spot. The top five in the batter rankings now include Gill, Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, and Jason Holder. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has become the new No. 1 men's ODI bowler, surpassing Wanindu Hasaranga, while Maheesh Theekshana has climbed to No. 8 in the bowler rankings after taking 10 wickets in the Pakistan tri-series.
The new rankings come just before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan and Dubai, featuring 8 teams and 15 matches. The competition began on February 19 with New Zealand defeating Pakistan by 60 runs in the opening match. The teams are divided into two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals based on points, and wins serving as a tie-breaker in case of a points tie.
As the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 progresses, fans will be watching closely to see how the new No. 1 ODI batter and bowler perform, along with the other top-ranked players. With Australia and India being the most successful teams in the tournament's history, having won the title twice each, the competition is expected to be fierce.
