India, Feb. 19 -- Shubman Gill rose to the top of the ODI rankings for batters ahead of the start of the 2025 Champions Trophy as ICC released the updated chart on Wednesday. Gill surpassed Pakistan star Babar Azam, thus adding a fresh dynamic to the upcoming face-off between the two arch-rivals on Sunday in Dubai.

Gill reclaimed the top spot after an excellent home campaign against England earlier this month. His tally of 259 runs in three innings, comprising scores of 87, 60, and 112, at an average of 86.33, was the best by an Indian batter in the contest. This was the second time Gill claimed the top ranking in his career, previously during the ODI World Cup in 2023.

The India opener amassed 796 points to rise to the No. 1 spot, whil...