Dubai, Aug 20 (PTI): In the latest ICC ODI rankings update for bowlers, Indian wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has slipped to the third position, with South African spinner Keshav Maharaj reclaiming the top spot.
Maharaj's return to the summit follows a stellar performance in the first ODI of the series against Australia in Cairns, where he captured a remarkable 5 for 33, playing a crucial role in his team’s 98-run victory.
The 35-year-old left-arm spinner, named Player of the Match for his efforts, has overtaken Kuldeep Yadav and Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana. Maharaj had previously held the top spot briefly in November and December 2023.
Apart from Kuldeep, India’s Ravindra Jadeja remains the only other Indian bowler in the updated top 10 list. The Indian team, however, has not played any ODIs since their successful campaign in the Champions Trophy.
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales made impressive strides, jumping 15 spots to 18th in the rankings after his six-wicket haul against Pakistan in their series finale.
Others making notable moves include Pakistan's leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who climbed 15 places to share the 39th spot, and West Indies' off-spinner Roston Chase, up five places to 58th.
On the batting front, Shubman Gill continues to dominate with 784 points at the top position, while Shreyas Iyer is another Indian among the top 10, positioned at sixth.
Amidst intriguing shifts in the rankings, West Indies captain Shai Hope moved up two places to ninth after his unbeaten 120 against Pakistan. South Africa's Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma also advanced to 21st and 23rd, respectively, with Australia’s Mitchell Marsh landing in 48th after climbing six places.
In men’s T20I rankings, India's Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma maintain their grip on the top two positions, followed by Suryakumar Yadav ranked sixth, and Yashasvi Jaiswal in 10th.
South Africa's Dewald Brevis continues to rise, pushing up nine spots to 12th. Meanwhile, Australians Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell have enhanced their rankings, reaching 25th and 30th respectively.
Among T20I bowlers, Australia’s Nathan Ellis and Josh Hazlewood have risen to the 9th and 18th spots, respectively, with South African pacer Kagiso Rabada moving up from 44th to 37th.
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