ICC Test Rankings: Kane Williamson overtakes Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to take top position
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New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has sped off ahead of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to secure the top spot for the batsman ICC Test Rankings.
Williamson seized the rank in the ICC Test Rankings after his match effort in the first against Pakistan in Tauranga that New Zealand won. He had briefly stood on the top towards the end of 2015. However, after that either Kohli or Smith topped the rankings. This year too, Smith was at the top for 313 days and Kohli for 51 days. Williamson however surged ahead of his contemporaries since the U-19 World Cup 2008.
The Thursday’s year ending update included the second Test between India and Australia in Melbourne and first Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Centurion. Williamson has gained 13 rating points for his effort of 129 and 21. He is 11 points clear of Kohli and 13 points ahead of Smith. Kohli is on a paternity leave to miss the final 3 Tests against Australia. Smith’s outing in Melbourne on the other hand, only got him scores of 0 and 8.
Ajinkya Rahane in Kohli’s absence, has gained big after leading India to a series-leveling eight wicket victory over Aussies in Melbourne. The batsman scored 112 and 27 not out. He has climbed up five places to reach sixth spot which is just one place below his career best of fifth attained in October 2019.
Debutant Shubnam Gill has made a notable entry at the 76th position after scoring 45 and 35 not out while opening the innings.
Indian bowlers gain big
Indian bowlers have also gained big within the top 10 this time. Ravichandran Ashwin has moved up 2 places to the seventh spot while pacer Jasprit Bumrah has forwarded by one place to secure the ninth rank. Debutant Mohammed Siraj has made a notable entry on the 77th position after picking up 5 wickets in the Melbourne Test.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has made considerable progress by sprinting up 11 spots. He landed on his career best-equalling 36th place among batsmen after his handy knock of 57 in his only innings in Melbourne. He reached the 14th place among bowlers after dismissing 3 batsmen. Jadeja is still on the third place among all-rounders but has reduced the gap between him and Jason Holder.
International cricketers’ rankings
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc‘s 4 wickets in the match might have helped him to the career best-equalling fifth position. Matthew Wade’s scores of 30 and 40 as opener helped him reach 50th among batsmen from 55th. Young Aussie Cameron Green gained 36 slots to reach 115th spot.
New Zealand’s Ross Taylor moved up three places to 14th. Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson has reached the top 30 after just five Tests, following his hauls of three for 35 and two for 35 in Tauranga.
For Pakistan, Fawad Alam‘s valiant second-innings century has lifted him 80 places to 102nd position. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan‘s scores of 71 and 60 have helped him advance 27 places to a career-best 47th position. Pacer Shaheen Afridi has climbed up two places to 33rd spot after picking 4 wickets in the first innings.
In Centurion, a knock of 199 by South African Faf du Plessis saw him not only win the Man of the Match award but also gain 14 places to reach 21st position, one behind team-mate Dean Elgar, who too gained four spots after a knock of 95. Lungi Ngidi has jumped four places to be 56th among bowlers.
For Sri Lanka, Dinesh Chandimal‘s knocks of 85 and 25 have lifted him three places to 38th. Dhananjaya de Silva gained nine places to 34th while Kusal Perera forwarded 4 places to 60th. Pacer Vishwa Fernando to reach 45th position after his 3 wicket haul.
In the ICC team rankings, New Zealand are in line to wrest the top spot from Australia who remain fractionally ahead as the Test team ranking are updated only after the end of each series. Even a draw against Pakistan in the second Test could see New Zealand take the top spot.
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Ira Deokule
(181 Articles Published)