Rishabh Pant, Australia and South Africa stars make big gains in ICC Rankings

Australia and South Africa stars have gained big in the latest ICC Rankings for Test batsmen and bowlers, released by the governing body of the game on Wednesday (January 8).

Australia and South Africa recently won their Test series against India and Pakistan respectively. While Australia beat India 3-1 in the five-Test series, South Africa whitewashed Pakistan in the two-match series. Both teams also booked their place in the final of the World Test Championship and will take on each other in the title decider in June this year.

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Players from both teams have also made big gains in the ICC Rankings. One of those players is Australia pacer Scott Boland who was adjudged the Player of the Match in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Boland has leaped 29 places to break into the top 10, sharing the ninth spot with India's spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

The right-arm pacer bagged 10 wickets in the Sydney Test including 6 wickets in the second innings, helping Australia win the Test and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014/15. Australia captain Pat Cummins has jumped to the second spot in the ICC Rankings after taking 5 wickets in the Sydney Test.

He is now only behind India's star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The India pace spearhead is sitting at the top with a career-best rating of 908. Bumrah picked up the most wickets in the series against Australia, taking 32 wickets at an average of 13.06. South Africa's Kagiso Rabada has moved up one spot to No.3 after taking six wickets in the second Test against Pakistan.

ICC Ranking for Test batters:

India star Rishabh Pant, who scored a 33-ball 61 in the second innings of the Sydney Test, has leaped three spots to No.9 in the rankings.

From the South Africa vs Pakistan series, Ryan Rickelton has gained big after playing a sublime knock of 259 runs. He has jumped 48 places to No.55 in the rankings. In-form South Africa captain Temba Bavuma also scored a century in the Cape Town Test and has climbed three spots to No.6.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne has moved up four places to No.25 after scoring a century against Pakistan too. From Pakistan, Babar Azam has earned a five-spot climb to 12th in the batting rankings after scoring half-centuries in both innings. Captain Shan Masood, who scored 145 runs in the second innings, has moved 12 places up to 45th.

ICC rankings for Test allrounders:

Among allrounders, South Africa's Marco Jansen has moved up two spots to take the second spot in the ICC Rankings. Jansen scored a half-century and picked up three wickets in the second Test and is now only behind Ravindra Jadeja.

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