DUBAI: India captain Virat Kohli held on to his second position while stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane broke into the top 10 after gaining five places in the latest ICC men’s Test batting ranking released on Thursday.
Rahane climbed to the sixth spot after scoring 112 and 27 not out to inspire India’s eight-wicket series-levelling win in the second Test against Australia in Melbourne. It is just one below his career-best ranking of fifth attained in October last year.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, too, was rewarded for his five-wicket haul at the MCG as he gained two places to the seventh spot, while pacer Jasprit Bumrah rose to the ninth position.
Ravindra Jadeja, who scored a crucial 57 and captured three wickets in the second Test, remained at number three but reduced the gap with Jason Holder to seven points in the allrounder’s ranking.
He, however, gained 11 and four positions to reach a career best-equalling 36th and 14th positions in batting and bowling respectively.
MCG debutants Shubman Gill and Mohammad Siraj made notable entries in 76th and 77th positions in the list for batsmen and bowlers, respectively.
Gill scored 45 and 35 not out opening the innings, while Siraj finished with five wickets in the match.
India’s batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara’s lack of form saw him lose two spots to slip to the 10th place.
Australia left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc’s four wickets in the match helped him reach a career best-equalling fifth position.
Matthew Wade’s scores of 30 and 40 as opener helped him reach 50th among batsmen from 55th, while Cameron Green gained 36 slots to reach 115th position.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, meanwhile, ended the year at the top position after he dethroned Australia’s Steve
Smith, who slipped to the third spot after managing scores of 0 and 8 in the two innings at MCG.
—PTI

Press Trust of India