ICC Test rankings: Steve Smith dethrones Kohli to regain No 1 spot

Dubai: Australia batsman Steve Smith on Wednesday dethroned India captain Virat Kohli to reclaim the No 1 spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test batsmen. 

Virat Kohli has now slipped to No 2 with 906 points after he could manage only 21 runs in his two innings in the first Test against New Zealand, which his side lost by 10 wickets to concede a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Steve Smith leads Kohli by 5 points. Other than Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (760), Cheteshwar Pujara (757) and Mayank Agarwal (727) occupy the next 8th, 9th and 10th positions respectively. 

While India vice-captain Rahane, who scored 75 in the opening Test, gained a spot and Mayank returned to a career-best 10th position after amassing 92 runs, which included a second-innings half-century, Pujara dropped two places after returning with identical scores of 11 in the two innings.

Meanwhile, Kohli's counterpart Kane Williamson surpassed Australia's batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne to regain the 3rd spot in ICC Test rankings on the back of his match-winning innings of 89 runs at the Basin Reserve. 

This is the eighth time that Smith is on top of the rankings after first occupying the top position in June 2015. The last batsman apart from Smith and Kohli to be No 1 is New Zealand's Kane Williamson, for an eight-day period in December 2015.

Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim has risen five places to return to the top 20 after his double-century in Mirpur while captain Mominul Haque has moved up five places to 39th after a score of 132. 

In bowling chart, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took three wickets for 99 in the first innings against New Zealand, slipped a place to ninth but remained the only Indian featuring in the top 10 with 765 points.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who took a five-wicket haul on his comeback from injury during the opening Test, gained a place to be at the 17th spot.New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and Trent Boult made big gains after finishing with nine and five wickets, respectively in the first Test against India.

While Southee advanced eight spots to take sixth position, which is his highest since a career-best fifth place in June 2014, Boult moved up four slots to take joint-13th position.Nayeem Hasan is the big news for Bangladesh with his nine wickets lifting him 29 places to 38th position among bowlers. Abu Jayed has moved up 11 places to 46th.

The all-rounders' list features Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin at the third and fifth positions respectively. While Jadeja didn't play the first Test, Ashwin scored 0 and 4 in the two innings to lose a place.

In the ICC World Test Championship, India continue to be placed at the top with 360 points, followed by Australia (296). New Zealand are on 120 points after gaining 60 points for the Wellington victory.(UNI)