Steve Smith may be injured but he is the No.1 ranked Test batsman. AB de Villiers is the top ODI batsman and Virat Kohli tops the charts as far as T20Is are concerned. But who is the best batsman across all formats?
Although the ICC have an individual ranking for each of the formats, they don’t have a combined ranking to determine the best batsmen in the world across all formats. If they did, what would that look like?
Well, here’s your answer as Sportskeeda brings to you the best batsmen in the world across all formats (based on ICC Rankings).
NOTE: Only players who play all three formats were taken into consideration and in case of players being level in terms of ranking, then who gets the spot is decided on the basis of how many points they have.
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No.10: Angelo Mathews
Overall Ranking: 74 Points: 1938
The only Sri Lankan batsman who makes the cut into the top 10 batsmen across all formats is the captain Angelo Mathews. The all-rounder has been carrying the Test team on his shoulders and is rightly ranked No.8 in the format, which also happens to be his best ranking across all formats.
In the other two formats though, he isn’t in the top 20 but yet finds his way into No.10 on that list. The 28-year-old is ranked No.22 in ODIs and No.44 in T20Is. Both of which are down to the lack of a stable batting position in the respective formats.
If Sri Lanka are to come out of their slump and find a way to win in their transitional period, they will need Mathews to fire.
No.9: Quinton de Kock
Overall Ranking: 72 Points: 1854
The first of the four South Africans in this list is Quinton de Kock. Although he is only in the top ten in one format and is just inside the top 50 in another, he makes the cut at No.9 courtesy of his overall rank of No.72, which only just edges out Mathews at 74.
The wicketkeeper-batsman is ranked No.4 in ODIs but fails to find a spot in the top 10 in T20Is where he is ranked No.19 just ahead of his compatriot JP Duminy. In Tests, he only just makes it into the top 50 ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin and is placed 49.
Despite that, his superior ranking in ODIs means that despite have fewer ranking points than Angelo Mathews, de Kock is at No.9, one place ahead of the Sri Lankan captain.
No.8: Martin Guptill
Overall Ranking: 68 Points: 1935
Coming in at No.8 despite not being in the top 50 in Tests is New Zealand opener Martin Guptill. The right-hander has been a revelation in the shorter formats of the game while his performances in the longest format have left a lot to be desired.
So it should come as no surprise that although the 29-year-old is in the top 10 for both ODIs and T20Is, he is ranked No.57 below two spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and compatriot Mark Craig. But such is his domination in the shorter formats that he is still able to make it into the top 10.
Guptill is the No.3 ranked batsman in T20Is while he takes the eighth spot in ODIs. If he can improve his Test performances, there can be little doubt that he can crack the top five before too long.
No.7: Faf du Plessis
Overall Ranking: 46 Points: 2034
Although Faf du Plessis only makes the top 10 in T20Is, he makes the cut at No.7 thanks to his relatively consistent performances in the other two formats. Ranked No.5 in T20Is, Faf is the highest ranked South African in the format above the likes of AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
While that proves his consistency in the format, unfortunately, his record in the other two isn’t as impressive. Although he is just outside the top 10 in ODIs, where he is ranked No.11, his Test ranking of 30 shows that he still has some way to go before he can be regarded as a consistent all-formats player.
Still, with an overall ranking of 46, he isn’t too far outside the top five and a consistent year in the longest format might just propel him there.
No.6: AB de Villiers
Overall Ranking: 41 Points: 2231
Despite being in the top 10 in both ODIs and Tests, the only reason why AB de Villiers finds himself outside the top five rankings is his terrible form, when it comes to T20Is. Although he has a more than decent T20 record, his T20I numbers are nothing to write home about.
That is exactly why the No.1 ranked ODI batsman (with more points than everyone else across the limited-over formats) and the No.6 ranked Test batsman has a lowly position of No.6 on these rankings and an overall ranking of 41.
His T20I ranking of 34 is below even the likes of Malcolm Waller and Stephan Myburgh and that is the one thing that AB would want to improve in the upcoming year as his points tally is more than the player at No.5.
No.5: David Warner
Overall Ranking: 37 Points: 2124
At No.5 and a distant one at that too is the only Australian on this list. Although Steve Smith is the No.1 ranked Test batsman, his poor record in T20Is means he doesn’t make the top 10, which leaves the Australian vice-captain, David Warner flying the flag alone for Australia, at No.5
Warner’s highest ranking is in the longest format of the game where he just scrapes into the top 10 at No.9. In ODIs, he has his worst ranking of No.15 while in T20Is he is only marginally better at No.13.
Still, the fact that he is in the top 15 in all three formats means he takes the No.5 spot ahead of AB, despite having fewer points.
No.4: Hashim Amla
Overall Ranking: 19 Points: 2272
Only just missing out on a spot in the top three is South Africa’s Hashim Amla with an overall rank of 19. The right-hander might have come into the game as someone who is ideally suited for Tests but has gone on to show that he is by no means a one-trick pony.
In fact, the rankings are a testament to that. Amla’s best ICC ranking of all formats is not in Tests but rather in ODIs, where he is ranked No.3 behind Virat Kohli. As far as Tests are concerned, he isn’t too far behind as he is No.4 and only just misses out on the top 10 in T20Is where he is ranked No.12.
The 33-year-old’s lofty position ahead of the likes of AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis only exemplifies just how crucial he is to South Africa’s cause.
No.3: Kane Williamson
Overall Ranking: 16 Points: 2339
One of only two players to be in the top 10 across all three formats is the ever-reliable recently appointed full-time New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. After finishing 2015 as the leading run-scorer across all formats, Williamson hasn’t looked as good in 2016 but still is the only batsman to be in the top seven across all formats.
Unsurprisingly, given his rapidly improving Test record it is in the longest format of the game that the 25-year-old has his highest ranking. He is ranked No.3 in Tests, No.6 in T20Is (a format many considered he isn’t exactly made for) while he is No.7 in ODIs.
A few extra points are all that separate Williamson from the top spot and that is surely something that he will be eyeing sooner rather than later.
No.2: Joe Root
Overall Ranking: 16 Points: 2378
England’s premier batsman, who has enjoyed another successful year in cricket has slowly started to showcase and fulfill his potential in the shorter formats. As the only other batsman apart from Kane Williamson to feature in the top 10 in all three formats, Root’s consistency has helped him claim the No.2 spot.
While his best ranking is in Tests, where he is No. 2 in the world, his sublime performance in the recently concluded World T20 that was only surpassed by Virat Kohli means he is No.4 in T20Is. But as far as the other format is concerned, he only just makes the cut into the top 10 for ODIs.
Still, his superior Test ranking and points tally mean he is not too far behind No.1 spot and of the three players ranked No.16 overall, he seems the best placed to climb further as the English cricket summer has already begun.
No.1: Virat Kohli
Overall Ranking: 16 Points: 2439
Despite not being in the top 10 in all three formats, the No.1 batsman across all formats according to ICC rankings is Virat Kohli. Although there are three players tied at the overall rank of 16, courtesy of having more points, India's Test captain takes the No.1 spot.
2016 has been a sublime year for Virat with the bat and given the amount of consistency he has shown in the shortest format of the game, there is no reason why he shouldn’t finish the year as the leading run-getter across all formats.
As far as the rankings go, the 27-year-old is ranked No.1 in T20Is, No.2 in ODIs and No.13 in Tests. With India playing a lot more Tests in the following 12 months, Kohli will be looking to improve his Test form and get into the top 10 across all formats.
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