Former India captain Virat Kohli’s strong show in the first Test against South Africa has helped him jump back into the top of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings in the longest format of the game. Kohli had scored 38 and 76 in Centurion, with the latter of the two scores coming in an innings in which India were all out for 131 runs.
Kohli had dropped out of the top 10 in 2022. He has now jumped four places to ninth. However, he is 103 rating points away from leader Kane Williamson, while Joe Root and Steve Smith took the second and third place respectively.
India captain Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, dropped to 14th after scoring just five runs in the first innings and a duck in the second. KL Rahul scored a century in the first innings in a match that marked his first as a wicketkeeper-batter. He moved up 11 slots to 51st.
As for bowlers, Ravichandran Ashwin remained on the top spot, despite managing one for 41 in Centurion, while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah were at fourth and fifth places respectively. Jadeja continued to lead the all-rounders’ list, followed by Ashwin in the second place, while Shardul Thakur dropped to 34th. India sits at the top spot in the team ranking, on 118 points, ahead of Australia and England.
Dean Elgar back in top 20
South Africa’s Dean Elgar, who is standing in as captain and will retire from Test cricket, climbed 19 places to 17th. Elgar scored an imperious 185 off 287 balls which knocked the wind out of India’s sails in Centurion. It was his first century at his domestic home ground and it means that he will most probably end his Test career in the top 20 of the rankings.
Over in Australia, their Boxing Day Test meeting with Pakistan saw minor movements on the batting front, with Mitchell Marsh’s flurry leading to the most noteworthy change, moving 16 place up to 52nd (504). Mohammad Rizwan enjoyed a four-place leap after his aggressive knock, while Travis Head kept his top 10 spot despite a quiet Boxing Day Test and a four-spot dip, with a rating of 754.
