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Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill has once again become the No. 1 ODI batter in the latest ICC rankings. He has dethroned former Pakistan captain Babar Azam to take up the top spot ahead of India’s Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh on February 20.
Gill has 796 rating points, while Babar is pushed back to second with 773 points. Interestingly, Gill previously climbed to the top of the ODI rankings during the 2023 World Cup, where he slammed 354 runs in nine innings. Meanwhile, he held his highest rating point of 847 after hitting a century against Australia in Indore in September 2023.
Shubman Gill’s rise can be credited to his impressive performances in the three-match ODI series against England. He emerged as the best batter in the series with 259 runs, while producing his best knock of 112.
Gill’s contributions helped the Indian team to secure a 3-0 whitewash and head into the Champions Trophy with supreme confidence.
Shunman Gill’s opening partner, Rohit Sharma maintained his third position in the charts, after scoring a century in the England series. Heinrich Klaasen climbed one place to fourth and Daryl Mitchell jumped two spots to take the fifth position.
Notably, Charith Asalanka climbed eight places to move up to the No. 8 spot, after returning with scores of 127 & 78* in the recent ODI series against Australia.
Meanwhile, Maheesh Theekshana has become the No. 1 ODI bowler after he returned with four wickets in two ODI games against Australia.
Shikhar Dhawan backs Shubman Gill to deliver consistent performances in Champions Trophy
In a recent interview with ICC, former Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan opined that India have a good chance to win the Champions Trophy, given their overall balance.
Dhawan shed light on Shubman Gill’s consistency, which can help the Indian team to have a great start in the powerplay and post a big score on the board.
“There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic for India. They have a very balanced side, especially with the bat – there is a nice blend of experience and youth. Shubman Gill, in particular, is so consistent and he has a big role to play. I think he will have a great tournament,” Dhawan told the ICC.
Shubman Gill holds a phenomenal ODI record, having accumulated 2,587 runs in 50 games at an average of 60.16, with seven centuries and 15 fifties. Based on his track record and form, Gill be a crucial player for India in the showpiece event.
