Babar Azam dethrones Virat Kohli to become the new no.1 ranked ODI batsman

Virat Kohli remained the no.1 ranked ODI batsman for 1258 days.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is the new no.1 ranked ODI batsman as ICC announced the weekly updates of their rankings. Azam dislodged India captain Virat Kohli from the no.1 position, who had a 1258-day reign at the top of ODI batting rankings.

Azam became only the fourth Pakistani batsman to achieve the no.1 ODI batsman spot after Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003).

Azam was in prime form against South Africa in the recent 3-match ODI series, where he scored a century in the first ODI and 94 in the third and deciding match.

"Virat Kohli can improve his technique by looking at Babar Azam," says Aaqib Javed

Babar Azam gathered 13 rating points thanks to his innings in the 3^rd and final ODI against the Proteas, which took him to 865 rating points, past Virat Kohli, and made him the new no.1 ranked ODI batsman.

Kohli's deputy, Rohit Sharma has maintained his second spot with 825 points ahead of New Zealand's Ross Taylor. No other Indian features in the latest top 10 batting chart.

In Tests, Babar has attained the best of the fifth position and is currently ranked sixth while in T20Is he is third but has been number one in the past.

Apart from Azam, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman also moved to career-best 7^th spot in the ICC ODI batsmen rankings, thanks to his 193 in the first ODI and another century in the third ODI against the Proteas.

SA v PAK 2021: Babar Azam breaks Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli's record of fastest to 13 ODI centuries

Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (up by four places to a career-best 11th) and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (up 29 places to 96th) have progressed, thanks to their three-wicket hauls in the match.

Amongst the bowler, India’s Jasprit Bumrah remained at his no.4 spot in ODI rankings, while Trent Boult remained the no.1 ranked ODI bowler.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the lone Indian to find a place in the top 10 all-rounders' list at the number nine spot. Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan leads the pack ahead of injured England’s Ben Stokes and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi.

(PTI inputs)