Babar Azam Falls Out of Top 10: Pakistan Players See Decline in ICC Test Rankings
Babar Recently, Pakistan’s cricket team faced a tough blow in the latest ICC Test rankings. After a disappointing two-match series against Bangladesh in Rawalp, many players struggled. This series really showed some weaknesses in the team, leading to big drops in individual rankings and raising eyebrows among fans & analysts.
Babar Azam’s Fall from Grace
Babar Azam, Pakistan’s well-respected white-ball captain & top batsman, has seen a big drop in the ICC Test batting rankings. He was 9th before but now he’s sitting at 12th place. His fall is due to some not-so-great performances, especially during the series against Bangladesh. Azam hasn’t scored a fifty in his last 16 Test innings – that’s quite a change from how well he used to play! Right now, he’s at 712 rating points, which is a big dip from before.
Mohammad Rizwan: The Silver Lining
Despite all the gloom, there’s Mohammad Rizwan. He’s been a steady presence. Even though the team struggled, Rizwan stayed in the top 10 of the ICC Test batting rankings. With 720 rating points, he stood out during the series against Bangladesh, scoring 171 runs in those two matches and totaling 294 runs overall. His strength & performance when things get tough have been a bright spot for Pakistan cricket.
Saud Shakeel’s Disappointing Decline
Saud Shakeel was once seen as a rising star but has dropped down quite a bit in his Test ranking. He slid down seven spots, from 13th to 20th, with just 661 rating points now. His recent performances haven’t met expectations which contributed to this decline. The series against Bangladesh showed some real challenges for Shakeel in keeping up his form at this high level.
Abdullah Shafique’s Struggles
Another talent feeling the pressure is Abdullah Shafique. His ranking fell too, going from 34th to 42nd place this time around. Unfortunately, his recent games didn’t match up to what he had shown earlier, leading to his drop.
Salman Ali Agha: A Positive Development
On a happier note, Salman Ali Agha has climbed up! The all-rounder moved up nine spots from 40th to 31st place with 606 rating points now. His play has been one positive amid the team’s struggles – showing he’s making his mark in Test cricket.
Pakistan’s Bowling Rankings Take a Hit
The bowlers faced their share of struggles too after the recent series. Shaheen Afridi dropped one spot to 11th in the ICC Test bowling rankings with 709 rating points. Naseem Shah slid down even more from 33rd to 35th with only 531 rating points now. Spinner Abrar Ahmed also took a hit, falling three spots from 46th to 49th with just 410 rating points. But it isn’t all bad—Aamer Jamal did see a little rise, moving to 46th place with 423 rating points even though he didn’t play in this Test series.
Top Rankings Overview
Looking at global rankings, some familiar faces are on top! England’s Joe Root leads the batting ranks with an impressive score of 922 rating points. Kane Williamson follows him with 859 points & Daryl Mitchell is next at 768 points. In bowling ranks, India’s Ravichandran Ashwin holds first place with 870 rating points while Josh Hazlewood & Jasprit Bumrah are tied for second with both having 847 rating points.
Now for Pakistan cricket it looks like they’re going through a rough patch highlighted by Babar Azam’s decline & other key players struggling too. Sure there are concerns with several batsmen & bowlers not performing well but there are shining moments too like Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha making good strides! As Pakistan aims for better days ahead, keeping an eye on how these players perform will be key for them to get back on track globally.
