Ahead of India vs Pakistan rivalry, Shubman Gill has managed to dethrone Babar Azam from the crown to become the number one ODI batter in the latest ICC ODI Rankings for batters. India's star who just tallied Pakistan's tailsman for the number one spot by a few points, managed to overtake him by having a superlative ODI series against England. Gill scored two fifties and a hundred and showed the world why he is the best in business in ODIs currently.
Currently, the India opener has 796 points, while Azam is second in position with 773 points. The former Pakistan captain has a chance to overtake Gill if he manages to have a good Champions Trophy outing. For the unversed, Gill became the first batter after Virat Kohli to get to the number one position in ICC rankings for the last 1o years.
“This is a significant shift at the top of the rankings, adding an intriguing storyline to the Champions Trophy, which kicks off in Pakistan and Dubai,” the ICC said. This marks the second time Gill has reached the No. 1 ranking, having briefly overtaken Babar during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Shubman Gill hopes to solidify his position at the top by having great Champions Trophy
While Gill has managed to get the top position, the bigger task is to remain at the top for a considerable amount of time. Great batters usually manage to sustain at the top by churning out runs consistently. Virat Kohli, AB e Villers, and Babar Azam managed to stay at the top for more than two years. Now, Gill will look to emulate these starts and look to stamp his class at the top.
Check out all the ICC ODI Rankings here
If Gill continues his purple patch in the Champions Trophy, then India can surely eye another ICC crown.
