Dubai: India captain Virat Kohli lost his second position to the Australian batsman Steve Smith in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen, released on Tuesday.
According to the latest chart, Kohli is in the third spot with 870 points while Smith (900 points) is placed on second position behind New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (919). The Australian had scores of 131 and 81 in the Sydney Test.
Notably, the Indian captain had pulled out of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series after the first Test to go on paternity leave. He and his actor wife Anushka were blessed with a baby girl on Monday.
Williamson’s epic 238 in the second Test against Pakistan in Christchurch has helped him reach the best ever-rating points by a New Zealand player and consolidate his position at the top of the list.
Richard Hadlee is the only other player from New Zealand to go past the 900-point mark, reaching a career-high 909 rating points in bowling in December 1985.
Another India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who played the knocks of 50 and 77 in the third Test helped India draw the match, is placed eighth, just behind his stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who lost one place.
Rishabh Pant’s scores of 36 and 97 have helped him gain 19 places to reach 26th position.
Hanuma Vihari (52nd) and Ravichandran Ashwin (89th) too have gained after their fighting knocks, as has Shubman Gill (69th).
Meanwhile in the bowlers’ list, off-spinner Ashwin dropped two placed to ninth and is followed by compatriot Jasprit Bumrah, who lost one spot. No other Indian figures in bowlers’ top-10.
Pat Cummins continues to lead the bowling chart followed by England pacer Stuart Broad and New Zealand’s Neil Wagner. (UNI)