Virat Kohli back at top of ICC Test batting rankings with Joe Root up to seventh
India captain replaces Steve Smith in top spot, David Warner jumps to fifth after triple century
Last Updated: 04/12/19 1:12pm
Virat Kohli has replaced Steve Smith at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings with England captain Joe Root back in the top 10 after his double century in New Zealand.
The India captain has not played since the rankings were last updated but after Smith scored just 36 in his only knock during Australia's innings win over Pakistan, Kohli has leapfrogged the former Australia captain and now holds the No 1 position in both the Test and ODI standings.
Meanwhile, Root's absence from the top 10 lasted only a week. The Yorkshireman is up to seventh on the back of his magnificent 226 in the second Test in Hamilton, jumping ahead of Black Caps pair Henry Nicholls (9th) and Tom Latham (11th) despite the latter's century at Seddon Park as well as Ben Stokes, who drops from ninth to 15th.
2:05 The biggest mover though is David Warner, who has risen 12 places up to fifth following his remarkable 335 not out, the second-highest Test score by an Australian, in Adelaide. The opener shared a second-wicket stand of 361 with Marnus Labuschagne, whose knock of 162 has taken him into the top 10 for the first time, he is up to eighth.
In the bowling rankings, West Indies captain Jason Holder is up a place to third thanks to his five wickets in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. That means Kiwi left-armer Neil Wagner drops to fourth despite his five-wicket haul against England.
Watch the first Test between South Africa and England from 7am on Boxing Day, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
