In a dramatic shake-up of the ICC Test batting rankings released on July 16, England's veteran batter Joe Root has reclaimed the number one position, displacing teammate Harry Brook, who had briefly held the top spot. Root's strong performance in the Lord's Test against India, where he scored 104 in the first innings and 40 in the second, propelled him back to the summit with 888 rating points.

Meanwhile, Harry Brook, whose rise to the top was short-lived, dropped to the third position after managing just 34 runs in both innings of the same Test. Sandwiched between the two Englishmen is New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who climbed to second place with 867 points, thanks to his consistent recent form.

The new rankings, however, bring disappointing news for Indian batters. Shubman Gill, despite a spirited knock in the series, has seen a significant slide — falling three spots to 9th place. Yashasvi Jaiswal also finds himself pushed out of the top four, as Australia's Steve Smith leapfrogged him to take the number four position. Jaiswal now stands at fifth, and his position remains under threat.

Rishabh Pant, who has not featured in recent Tests due to injury, also dropped one position, moving from 7th to 8th. These changes reflect the fierce competition in the ICC Test rankings and the fine margins separating the top players. For India, the rankings shake-up adds more pressure ahead of the fourth Test against England, where players like Gill and Jaiswal will be keen to redeem their form and regain lost ground.