Rahmat Shah becomes first Afghan batter in ICC Test rankings top 10, rises to seventh

Afghanistan captain and veteran batter Rahmat Shah has made history in international cricket. In the latest ICC men's Test batters' rankings, he has become the first Afghanistan cricketer to break into the top 10.

On the strength of a strong showing in the Test against Zimbabwe in Sharjah, Rahmat jumped six places to seventh. Another significant record now stands in his name in Afghanistan's cricket history.

In the first match of the two-Test series, Rahmat Shah played a fine innings of 173 runs. That innings earned him the gain in the latest rankings. Climbing six places also gave him the best rating of his career. In the jump, he left behind leading batters such as India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa's Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis.

For the 33-year-old Rahmat Shah, it was a fifth Test century. Notably, it is his second hundred this year. His consistent performances are giving Afghanistan's Test cricket a new identity. Earlier, at the start of this month, the Afghanistan team had also risen to sixth place in the ICC men's ODI team rankings, its best ever.

Zimbabwe batter Craig Ervine has also gained significantly in the Test rankings. After scoring a double century in the second innings of the Sharjah Test against Afghanistan, he has moved up nine places to 48th.

The batters' rankings have also changed after the ICC World Test Championship series between Bangladesh and the West Indies. West Indies' Kavem Hodge jumped 12 places to 52nd. Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy has reached 60th. West Indies' Amir Jangoo gained a full 28 places to take 62nd.

West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican has also drawn attention in the bowlers' rankings. After being Player of the Series against Bangladesh, he made a big gain in the Test rankings, climbing 11 places to 19th among bowlers. He also moved up four places to 31st in the Test all-rounders' rankings. West Indies' Justin Greaves rose one place to eighth among all-rounders.

Indian bowlers have also progressed in the ODI rankings, as the latest rankings, issued after the first two matches of the India-New Zealand ODI series, show. India spinner Axar Patel took two wickets for 28 runs in the second match in Wellington. On that strength, he jumped 23 places in the ODI bowlers' rankings to 21st.

Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who took four wickets in the first match of the series in Auckland, has climbed 11 places to 31st. Young Indian fast bowler Gurnoor Brar is also in the spotlight. He was outside the top 100 before the series against New Zealand, but with seven wickets in two matches he has come straight to 48th.