Virat Kohli gains top spot in ICC Test Players rankings

ICC released the Test players rankings on Monday and Kohli sits on the top spot while pacers Ashwin and Shami secure their position among top 20.

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The fourth Test between India and England at Southampton has caused some changes in the MRF ICC Test Player rankings with Indian skipper Virat Kohli retaining the top spot with 937 points. Kohli scored his highest rating (937) against England on Sunday. He is followed by Australia's Steve Smith with 929 points. Kohli, who has scored 544 runs in his eight innings this series, is 11th in the list of best ever in terms of rating points, just one adrift of a group of four - Gary Sobers, Clyde Walcott, Vivian Richards and Kumar Sangakkara. India's Cheteswar Pujara stands on the sixth rank with 798 points after he gave India a lead in the second innings with his unbeaten 134 while Ajinka Rahane is at the 8th spot.

Looking at the bowler's ranking for Test matches, India's all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja acquires the third rank with 832 points while Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami stand at 9th and 19th ranks respectively. Shami has gained three places after his six-wicket haul during the last Test while Ishant Sharma's four wickets see him move up one place to 25th position. Bumrah has continued the strong start to his Test career, moving to a career-best 487 points while retaining 37th position after his fifth Test.

England's 20-year-old Sam Curran has been making news for his consistent performance during the series against India and has also made quick gains in ICC Test Player Rankings. Curran has moved up 29 places to the 43rd position among batsmen after knocking 78 and 46 in his fourth Test match. The left-hander, son of former Zimbabwe cricketer Kevin Curran and younger brother of England player Tom Curran, has also gained 11 places to reach 55th place in the bowlers’ list and 15th position among all-rounders after gaining 27 slots.

Moeen Ali has also moved up after Southampton Test. His haul of nine wickets helped him move to the 33rd position, three places above from where he stood before. Player of the match Ali who grabbed five for 63 and four for 71 in the two innings, has gained 66 points to reach 543 points in bowling, while also gaining one slot to reach seventh place among all-rounders.

Other English players like Jos Buttler and Bens Stokes have also moved up after their performance at Southampton. Buttler has gained 15 slots to reach a career-best 32nd position in the batsmen’s list. Stokes gained three places to reach 29th position.