Stuart Broad becomes No. 2 Test bowler, Babar Azam fifth among batsmen

Stuart Broad's continued run of success, first against West Indies and now against Pakistan, has helped him move up to the second spot in the Test rankings for bowlers. Babar Azam, meanwhile, has returned to the top five among batsmen after scoring a sedate 47 to follow a half-century in the first Test.

Though the rain-hit second Test between England and Pakistan ended in a draw, Broad's four wickets helped England bowl Pakistan out for 236 in the first innings in Southampton. That followed his 16 wickets against West Indies - including ten in the third Test - and six in the first Test against Pakistan, which had put him at No. 3. Only Australia's Pat Cummins is ahead of Broad on the list.

In the other major gain for England, James Anderson rose to No. 14 after three wickets in the first innings of the second Test against Pakistan.

From Pakistan's point of view, apart from Azam's rise - he is the only player from his country in the top ten, which is led by Steven Smith - fast bowler Mohammad Abbas gained two places to sit at No. 8 among bowlers, while Abid Ali and Mohammad Rizwan's half-centuries also gave them career-best rankings of No. 49 and No. 75, respectively.

After the second Test resulted in a draw, England remained third on the World Test Championship table with India and Australia ahead of them, and Pakistan in fifth place.