Babar Azam's slide continues, Pak batter suffers rankings blow after Lord's Test

Babar Azam has slipped out of the ICC Test batting top 10 again after a horror Lord's outing, falling five places to 15th. While Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali and Saud Shakeel made significant gains, Pakistan now face a must-win Test in Birmingham to avoid a series whitewash.Babar Azam has dropped out of top 10 of ICC Test rankings. Courtesy: AFPBabar Azam's latest Test outing at Lord's has delivered another setback, with the Pakistan captain slipping out of the ICC's top 10 in the latest Test batting rankings.Babar has dropped five places to 15th after a miserable match against England, in which he managed only 14 runs across two innings. The fall comes just weeks after he had finally returned to the top 10 following a prolonged absence.The 31-year-old had climbed back into the elite bracket in August after almost two years outside the top 10. His 88 and unbeaten 24 against the West Indies helped him jump five places to 10th, marking his first return to the top 10 since September 2024.That resurgence, however, has proved short-lived. Babar's struggles continued at Lord's as Pakistan's batting repeatedly folded against England's attack. Pakistan were bowled out for only 110 in the first innings before being dismissed for 194 while chasing 389 in the second. England won by 194 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. Babar's latest rankings slide adds to the pressure surrounding a batter who has not scored a Test century since December 2022. His prolonged drought has now stretched to 36 innings, further intensifying questions about his red-ball form.ABBAS, ALI, SHAKEEL MAKE BIG GAINSWhile Babar suffered, several Pakistan players moved sharply upwards after their performances at Lord's. Mohammad Abbas was the biggest beneficiary among Pakistan's bowlers. His nine-wicket match haul lifted him 10 places to joint-15th in the Test bowling rankings. Mohammad Ali also climbed 11 spots to 81st after taking five wickets.Saud Shakeel enjoyed an even bigger jump among the batters. His determined 97 in Pakistan's second innings lifted him 15 places to 18th, making him the country's second-highest-ranked Test batter behind Babar.For Pakistan, though, individual rankings gains will offer little comfort after two heavy defeats in England.They now head to Birmingham for the third Test, starting September 9, with their pride at stake. After an innings defeat in the first Test and the 194-run loss at Lord's, Pakistan must find a response at Edgbaston to avoid a series whitewash.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 16:44 IST