Joe Root reclaims No 1 Test batting ranking after stellar year for England

Former captain overtakes Marnus Labuschagne as the world's top batsman

England batsman Joe Root smiles after reaching his century on day three of the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Getty

Joe Root celebrates reaching his century at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Sunday. AFP

England's Ollie Pope scored a century at Trent Bridge on Sunday. PA

Ollie Pope and Joe Root put England in control. Reuters

Ollie Pope drives during day three of the second Test. Getty

Ollie Pope celebrates reaching his century. PA

Joe Root plays a pull shot. Reuters

Joe Root plays an innovative shot. Getty

Alex Lees and Ollie Pope touch gloves as Tim Southee joins the chat. Getty

New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson and Tom Blundell fail to catch a tough chance of Joe Root. PA

Joe Root's vintage form with the bat last season, which has carried over into the current one, was reflected in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen on Wednesday as the Englishman climbed to the top of the table.

Root stepped down as England captain in April, but has been piling up the runs and played a key role as the Three Lions took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series against world champions New Zealand.

Root has already scored four centuries in 2022 and has become only the second English batsman to score more than 10,000 runs in Tests. That form has seen him overtake Australia's Marnus Labuschagne as the No 1 ranked batsman in the world.

Root now sits on 897 rating points, five points more than Labuschagne in second place.

Following the series against New Zealand, England will host India for a one-off Test and South Africa for three matches over the coming months, which should give Root a chance to cement his position.

Meanwhile, England's celebrations after their brilliant run chase in the second Test against the Black Caps were dampened to a degree after it was revealed that they have been docked two World Test Championship points and fined 40 per cent of their match fee due to a slow over-rate.

England won a thrilling match at Trent Bridge by five wickets on Tuesday thanks to an astonishing display of hitting from Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

Bairstow smashed 136 from just 92 balls while Stokes made an unbeaten 75 as England chased 299 in 50 overs on the final day to seal victory.

However, match referee Richie Richardson imposed the sanction after the home side were ruled to have been two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

ICC rules state that players are fined 20 percent of their match fee and the team loses a Test Championship point for every over they fail to bowl in the allotted time.

Bairstow onslaught guides England to famous win