Kevin O’Brien makes impressive entry into ICC Test rankings

Kevin O’Brien made the second best start in terms of rating points for batsmen from sides playing their first Test and the best by a batsman from a debutant side since the first ever Test 141 years ago, after a remarkable performance against Pakistan at Malahide in Dublin helped Ireland put up a resilient display.
The 34-year-old all-rounder produced a knock of 40 in the first innings and a valiant 118 in the second to help Ireland fight back after they were asked to follow-on, eventually losing by five wickets. Kevin O’Brien’s 158 runs in the match helped him to enter the ICC Test Player Rankings in 66th place with a rating of 440 points.
Opener Charles Bannerman of Australia has the best rating of 447 points in a team’s debut Test, scoring 165 not out and four in the first ever cricket Test played between Australia and England in Melbourne in March 1877. Aminul Islam of Bangladesh (432 in 2001) and David Houghton of Zimbabwe (431 in 1992) are third and fourth in the list.
Fast bowler Tim Murtagh has also made a fine start, entering in 67th position among bowlers after a match haul of six for 100, while all-rounder Stuart Thompson has made notable starts in both lists, ranked 125th among batsmen and 88th among bowlers.
As for Pakistan’s debutants, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and left-handed opener Imam-Ul-Haq entered the rankings at 81st and 113th positions, respectively, in the list for batsmen. Faheem scored 83 in the first innings at Malahide while Imam had scores of seven and 74 not out.
Pace bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Amir have moved up the ladder with Abbas gaining eight slots to reach a career-best 29th position and Amir advancing two places to 37th position. Abbas finished with nine for 110 in the match while Amir took five for 72.
In the ICC Test Team Rankings, Pakistan have gained one point after victory in the one-off Test. They remain in seventh position with 87 points while Ireland, who will get a proper ranking only after eight Test matches, have yet to take their first points.
ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 16 May, after the Ireland-Pakistan Test)
Rank | Team | Points |
1 | India | 125 |
2 | South Africa | 112 |
3 | Australia | 106 |
4 | New Zealand | 102 |
5 | England | 98 |
6 | Sri Lanka | 94 |
7 | Pakistan | 87 |
8 | Bangladesh | 75 |
9 | Windies | 67 |
10 | Zimbabwe | 2 |
Also played: Ireland – 1 match, 0 points
Yet to play their first Test: Afghanistan.
(Developed by David Kendix)
Batsmen (top 10)
Rank | (+/-) | Player | Team | Pts | Avge | Highest Rating |
1 | ( – ) | Steve Smith | Aus | 929 | 61.37 | 947 v SA at Durban 2018 |
2 | ( – ) | Virat Kohli | Ind | 912! | 53.40 | 912 v SA at Johannesburg 2018 |
3 | ( – ) | Joe Root | Eng | 867 | 52.63 | 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015 |
4 | ( – ) | Kane Williamson | NZ | 847 | 50.35 | 893 v Aus at Perth 2015 |
5 | ( – ) | David Warner | Aus | 820 | 48.20 | 880 v NZ at Perth 2015 |
6 | ( – ) | AB de Villiers | SA | 813 | 50.66 | 935 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2014 |
7 | ( – ) | Cheteshwar Pujara | Ind | 810 | 50.51 | 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017 |
8 | ( – ) | Dean Elgar | SA | 784! | 42.58 | 784 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018 |
9 | ( – ) | Aiden Markram | SA | 759*! | 55.55 | 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018 |
10 | (+1) | Hashim Amla | SA | 726 | 48.03 | 907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013 |
Other selected rankings
Rank | (+/-) | Player | Team | Pts | Avge | Highest Rating |
66= | NEW | Kevin O’Brien | Ire | 440*! | 79.00 | 440 v Pak at Malahide 2018 |
81 | (NEW) | Faheem Ashraf | Pak | 392*! | 83.00 | 392 v Ire at Malahadie 2018 |
100 | (=5) | Babar Azam | Pak | 321* | 24.90 | 360 v NZ at Hamilton 2016 |
113 | (NEW) | Imam-ul-Haq | Pak | 274*! | 81.00 | 274 v Ire at Malahide 2018 |
125 | (NEW) | S. Thompson | Ire | 218*! | 28.00 | 218 v Ire at Malahide 2018 |
Bowlers (top 10)
Rank | (+/-) | Player | Team | Pts | Avge | Highest Rating |
1 | ( – ) | Kagiso Rabada | SA | 897 | 21.59 | 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018 |
2 | ( – ) | James Anderson | Eng | 891 | 27.36 | 896 v Win at Lord’s 2017 |
3 | ( – ) | Vernon Philander | SA | 845 | 21.46 | 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013 |
4 | ( – ) | Ravindra Jadeja | Ind | 844 | 23.73 | 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017 |
5 | ( – ) | R. Ashwin | Ind | 803 | 25.56 | 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016 |
6= | ( – ) | Morne Morkel | SA | 800! | 27.66 | 800 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018 |
( – ) | Pat Cummins | Aus | 800*! | 23.81 | 800 v SA at Johannesburg 2018 | |
8 | ( – ) | Trent Boult | NZ | 795 | 27.84 | 825 v Eng at Lord’s 2015 |
9 | ( – ) | Rangana Herath | SL | 777 | 28.18 | 867 v Zim at Harare 2016 |
10 | ( – ) | Neil Wagner | NZ | 765 | 28.26 | 785 v Win at Wellington 2017 |
Other selected rankings
Rank | (+/-) | Player | Team | Pts | Avge | Highest Rating |
29 | (+8) | M. Abbas | Pak | 539*! | 18.78 | 539 v Ire at Malahide 2018 |
37 | (+2) | M. Amir | Pak | 453* | 31.95 | 658 v Eng at Lord’s 2010 |
67 | (NEW) | Tim Murtagh | Ire | 221*! | 16.66 | 221 v Pak at Malahide 2018 |
88 | (NEW) | S. Thompson | Ire | 135*! | 23.25 | 135 v Pak at Malahide 2018 |
104 | (+14) | Shadab Khan | Pak | 73*! | 47.8 | 73 v Ire at Malahide 2018 |
All-rounders (top 5)
Rank | (+/-) | Player | Team | Pts | Highest Rating |
1 | ( – ) | S. Al Hasan | Ban | 421 | 489 v Aus at Mirpur 2017 |
2 | ( – ) | R. Jadeja | Ind | 391 | 438 v SL at Colombo (SSC) 2017 |
3 | ( – ) | V. Philander | SA | 372 | 376 v Aus at Cape Town 2014 |
4 | ( – ) | R. Ashwin | Ind | 368 | 493 v Eng at Mohali 2016 |
5 | ( – ) | Ben Stokes | Eng | 329/* | 396 v Win at Lord’s 2017 |
*indicates provisional rating; a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.
! indicates career-highest rating
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