Swashbuckling batsman Rohit Sharma sparkled as an opener in the recently-concluded three-Test series against South Africa which India won by a 3-0 margin and broke several records. Rohit Sharma is only the third Indian player to reach the top 10 in all three formats - Tests, One-Day Internationals, Twenty20 Internationals - of the men’s game scoring 529 runs in the three matches against South Africa during which he donned the new role of a Test opener.
Rohit Sharma, who smashed two centuries (176, 127) and one double ton (212) during the South Africa series, emulated Indian captain Virat Kohli and retired India opener Gautam Gambhir to break into the top 10 in all the three formats. His knock of 212 in the third Test in Ranchi helped him advance 12 places to 10th position in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings. Sharma’s player of the series effort of 529 runs helped him make huge strides from 44th place before the series.
In the ODIs Rohit Sharma reached the career-high ranking of second till date in February 2018 while he was seventh in T20Is in the November 2018 list. Kohli, who has developed a habit of breaking batting records, has been number one in all three formats while Gambhir has been at the top in Tests and T20Is and eighth in ODIs.
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane’s knock of 116 in the Ranchi Test against Siuth Africa has helped him equal his career-high rank of fifth place, achieved earlier in November 2016. He remains the third-best Indian batsman in terms of Test rankings after Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. With Mayanka Agarwal in 18th position, India have finished the series with five batsmen in the top 20.
Fast bowlers Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav have ended the series with their highest-ever rating points tally. Shami is on 751 points and only one place below his career-best ranking of 14th achieved in March 2018, while Yadav is on 624 points, three below his best of 21st in July 2016.
For South Africa, George Linde has started in 104th position among batsmen after scores of 37 and 27 and 99th among bowlers after finishing with four wickets.