Indian captain Virat Kohli slipped to the No. 2 spot in ICC Test batting rankings, a day after India’s disappointing innings and 159-run loss to England in the second Test at Lord’s.
Virat Kohli, who rose to 934 points, had last week surpassed Australia’s Steve Smith to top the Test rankings after a scintillating century in the first Test at Edgbaston. He, however, lost the numero-uno spot after low scores of 23, 17 in the second Test and dropped to 919 points, 10 points behind Steve Smith (929).
After conceding a 0-2 lead to England in the five-match Test series, India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (23) alongside Lokesh Rahul (25), Murali Vijay (34) and Shikhar Dhawan (26) too slumped in their rankings.
Interestingly, Ravichandran Ashwin, who had top-scored for India in both the innings (29, 33*) in the second Test, moved up 10 spots to the 57th rank. He also surpassed South African pacer Vernon Philander (370) to take the third spot, with 374 rating points, in the Test all-rounder rankings.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (849 points), who was benched in both the Tests, remained at the No. 3 rank along with Ashwin (802) at No. 5 in the bowling rankings.
For England, seasoned pacer James Anderson, with impressive match figures of 9/43 in the second Test, went past the 900-rating mark becoming only the seventh English bowler and first in 38 years from England to reach the mark. Anderson currently tops the bowling rankings with 903 rating points.
Notably, England’s keeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow (9th rank) breached into the top 10 after his match-winning innings of 93 runs in England’s first innings.
(With Agency inputs)
Source: Zee News