Kohli retains top spot in ICC rankings

Dubai : The Indian skipper Virat Kohli retained his number one spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test batsmen rankings with a career-high 937 rating points, despite the defeat in the fourth Test against England.

Although India lost the fourth Test by 60 runs and conceded an unassailable 3-1 lead to England in the five match Test series, Kohli’s 46 and 58 in the two innings helped him retain the top spot.

Kohli, who has scored 544 runs in his eight innings this series, is 11th on 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, an ICC statement said on Monday.

Similarly, Cheteshwar Pujara stayed at the sixth position but his unbeaten 132, which helped India take the first innings lead, has lifted him from 763 to 798 points.

India fast bowler Mohammad Shami progressed back to the top 20 as his six-wicket match haul has lifted him three places to 19th position among bowlers, while his fellow fast bowler Ishant Sharma’s four wickets saw him move up one place to the 25th position.

Jasprit Bumrah continued the strong start to his Test career, moving to a career-best 487 points while retaining the 37th position after his fifth Test.

Among others, England all-rounder Sam Curran made quick gains in the ICC Test Player Rankings while spinner Moeen Ali also moved up after the Southampton Test.

The 20-year-old Curran moved up 29 places to the 43rd position among batsmen after producing crucial knocks of 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, also gained 11 places to reach the 55th place in the bowlers’ list and 15th position among all-rounders after gaining 27 slots.

Player of the match Ali’s haul of nine wickets helped him move up three places to the 33rd position with a huge gain in rating points.

The off-spinner, who grabbed five for 63 and four for 71 in the two innings, gained 66 points to reach 543 points in bowling, while also gaining one slot to reach seventh place among all-rounders.

Buttler gained 15 slots to reach a career-best 32nd position on the batsmen’s list and 584 rating points, just five behind England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who has also gained three places to reach 29th position. Opener Keaton Jennings is another one to gain, moving up four places to 86th position on the list for batsmen.

Published on: Sep 3, 2018 at 15:04 IST

IANS