Steve Smith overtakes Virat Kohli in batting rankings
Joe Root a non-mover at No 3
Tuesday 14 August 2018 08:49, UK
Steve Smith has regained top spot in the Test batting rankings despite his 12-month ban after Virat Kohli's modest performance at Lord's.
Smith received a year-long suspension for his part in March's ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, but that has not stopped him returning to the summit in the International Cricket Council's list.
India skipper Kohli had deposed Smith after scoring 200 runs against England at Edgbaston in the first Test of their five-match series.
But knocks of 23 and 17 in the second Test saw Kohli slip back.
England skipper Joe Root was a non-mover at three, while fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow jumped three places to ninth.
There was also good news for the world's No 1 bowler, James Anderson. A match haul of nine for 43 in swing-friendly conditions at headquarters saw him breach the 900-point barrier.
That is a mark only attributed to six other Englishman and was last achieved by Sir Ian Botham in 1980.
