Rishabh Pant's ranking rise; fuels RCB's interest

After the conclusion of the first test between India and New Zealand, Rishabh Pant has climbed to the sixth spot, leaving Virat Kohli at 8th. 

On Wednesday, ICC released the Men's Test Batter Rankings, which showed Pant rising 3 steps upward while Virat coming down by one.

It was Pant's remarkable 99-run knock in the second innings against New Zealand that got him the spot . However, Kohli, despite a solid 70 in Bengaluru, dropped one place to eighth.

With Pant rising in the table, it has again ignited further speculation that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are eyeing him for the upcoming IPL auction.

Presently, RCB is looking for a captaincy replacement for Faf du Plessis. With the Indian Cricket team trying hard to nurture Pant as the future captain, RCB may come in aid for BCCI.

Rishabh Pant Expressed Frustration Over RCB Speculation

Late September, Rishabh Pant expressed frustration when a fan brought up the topic of him joining RCB. 

 A fan tweeted a rumor about Pant potentially joining RCB, claiming that Pant had allegedly declined an offer due to a political agenda. Pant, visibly upset, quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to refute these claims, calling them “fake news.”

Not only that, he urged fans to be sensible and restrain from spreading unnecessary rumours. He has also requested the fans to check facts and gather them from reliable sources before bringing them in public.

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant’s Uncertain Future Amid Retention Deadlines

With the IPL 2025 retention deadline looming, reports are telling that the Delhi Capitals are not willing to be with Rishabh Pant.

However, they showed immense trust in Pant, as they axed Shreyas Iyer from captaincy, leading him to leave for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022. It was Iyer who led DC to their finals in 2020.

However, if Pant walks into the auction pool, teams like Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will fight their best to get him under their colors.

Other Players on the Rise in ICC Rankings

According to the newly published ICC rankings, India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal remains the top-ranked Indian batter at No. 4. The Indian captain Rohit Sharma got dropped to joint 15th alongside Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne.

Joe Root continues to top the Test batter rankings. New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra made an impressive leap to 18th, and his teammate Devon Conway climbed to 36th. Matt Henry’s excellent eight-wicket haul against India propelled him to ninth among bowlers, marking a career-high ranking.