Meet last 5 ranked No. 1 Test batters at start of each year (2022-2026)
We have entered 2026, and this year promises cricket in abundance. Before international Test cricket gets underway, let’s check out who the last five top-ranked Test batters were at the start of each year.
Joe Root (ENG) - 2026
The second-highest Test run-scorer of all time, Joe Root, entered 2026 as the top-ranked Test batter. Despite having a mediocre away Ashes this time, which also includes his maiden Test hundred on Aussie soil, Root managed to stay ahead of his contemporaries.
Joe Root (ENG) – 2025
Root hasn’t been out of form in the past few years. The highest-scorer among the active batters, Root topped the run-scoring sheet in 2024 (1556 runs in 17 matches), also leading the rankings among the Test batters entering into 2025.
Kane Williamson (NZ) – 2024
Former New Zealand captain and batting great, Kane Williamson, topped the Test rankings for batters at the start of 2024. Although seventh on the overall ranking for most Test runs in 2023, Williamson’s impact and how he stood his ground saw him seal the top spot.
Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) – 2023
Marnus Labuschagne, Australia’s Mr Dependable in Tests, was the ranked-number-one Test batter at the start of 2023. He maintained his stance as one of their best batters three years ago, having hit 957 runs in 11 Tests, averaging 56.29.
Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) – 2022
Labuschagne’s rise to the top brought glory for Australia, which enjoyed Test success in late 2021. The right-hander attained the top rank among batters for the first time following his maiden Ashes century against England, surpassing Root on the list.
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