Virat Kohli displaces Smith to become No.1 Test batsman

Dubai: India skipper Virat Kohli is back at the top of the batsmen’s list in the ICC Rankings for Test batsmen as Australia’s Steve Smith slipped behind him in the latest update released on Wednesday.

Kohli, who had struck a fine 136 in the Day-Night Kolkata Test against Bangladesh last week to reach 928 points, is now five points clear as Smith’s knock of 36 in the Adelaide Test against Pakistan saw him slip to 923 points from 931 before the match.

The other Indian batsman in top 10 is Ajinkya Rahane at the sixth spot. Meanwhile, opener Mayank Agarwal has moved out of the top 10.

Australia opener David Warner’s epic 335 not out has lifted him 12 places to the fifth position while Marnus Labuschagne is in the top 10 for the first time after being ranked as low as 110th at the start of the year.

Pakistan middle-order batsman Babar Azam has moved up two places to 13th, thanks to his fighting knock of 97 in the first innings, while left-handed opener Shan Masood has gained 10 places to reach a career-best 47th position after striking 68 in the second innings.

England captain Joe Root is back in the top 10 after spending a week outside it, his innings of 226 pulling him up to seventh from 11th. Rory Burns’s second Test century has pushed him into the top 40 for the first time.

For New Zealand, Ross Taylor has gained two places to reach 16th among batsmen and Tim Southee has moved up one place to 13th among bowlers. (IANS)

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