Keshav Maharaj regains No. 1 ranking for bowlers Left-arm spinner Maharaj produced a spell that will fondly be remembered from Cairns. The 35-year old produced a career-best bowling in the first ODI against Australia, when he grabbed 5 for 33 that led South Africa to a 98-run victory and also won him the player-of-the-match.
Maharaj sat on the first spot earlier in November 2023 and replaced Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana and India’s Kuldeep Yadav by two spots. What makes this increase all the more remarkable is the road behind it. It was not until March 2023 that he ripped his achilles tendon, a trauma that many believed had the potential to be career-ending. But he came back more quickly than anticipated to acquit himself once more at the 2023 World Cup, in India, where he bowled with an economy rate of 4.15 and also contributed some invaluable lower-order runs.
Talking about his latest five-for, Maharaj said, “To perform like this when recovery is still fresh in my head, it feels extra sweet.” Some coaches praised him as a man who turned pain into performance, and among the supporters his grit is spoken as much as his skill.
South African Batters Find Form
It was not just Maharaj who made an impact. Among the Proteas batters, Aiden Markram shifted up four spots to reach No.21, while captain Temba Bavuma also climbed five places to 23 after half-centuries in the Cairns ODI. In T20I rankings, young Dewald Brevis had a big jump, rising nine positions to joint 12th thanks to his explosive 125 not out from 56 balls in the first T20I and another quick 53 in the second.
Ranking Changes Around the Globe
There were other movements too.
- West Indies skipper Shai Hope reached No.9 in ODI batting list after scoring 207 runs in the series against Pakistan, which his team won 2-1. His teammate Jayden Seales moved 15 steps higher, to 18th among ODI bowlers, after finishing the same series with ten wickets.
- For Australia, fast bowler Nathan Ellis stepped inside the T20I top 10 at ninth place, following his 3 for 31 in the last match against South Africa that gave his side a 2-1 win. Senior bowler Josh Hazlewood also went two places higher to 18, being the most successful wicket-taker for Australia in the T20I series.
A Comeback Story Written in Spin
For Maharaj, this achievement is much beyond numbers. After his injury last year, many wondered if he could return to the same level again. But his five-wicket haul in Cairns was more like a message that he is still capable of troubling the best batters and still belongs at the very top. From recovery room to world’s best ranking again, Maharaj’s journey is now written like a story of persistence, control and redemption with the ball.
