Rishabh Pant has climbed to the 7th position in the ICC Test rankings, marking his highest career ranking to date. His exceptional performance at Leeds, where he hit twin centuries (134 and 118), significantly boosted his rating to 801 points. The match, however, ended in India’s defeat, with England chasing down a significant score. Pant’s ranking improvement places him ahead of Ben Duckett, solidifying his position as the top-ranked wicketkeeper-batter.
He is the second wicketkeeper in Test history, after Andy Flower, to achieve centuries in both innings of a match. He has also exceeded MS Dhoni’s century record for Indian wicketkeepers. Given the recent retirements of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Pant’s rise is crucial for India’s Test team. His determination to return to form after a car accident in 2022 showcases his resilience and commitment.
The current top 10 Test batsmen are: Joe Root (1st), Harry Brook (2nd), Kane Williamson (3rd), Yashasvi Jaiswal (4th), Steve Smith (5th), Temba Bavuma (6th), Rishabh Pant (7th), Ben Duckett (8th), Kamindu Mendis (9th), and Saud Shakeel (10th).