England Topple South Africa To Second Spot In Test Rankings, India On Top

The ICC, on Tuesday, announced the latest ICC Test rankings for teams and players, revealing some big and significant changes.

India continues to perch at the top of the ICC Test rankings with 116 points. England will take the second spot after the conclusion of their ongoing series against Sri Lanka. Joe Root & Co. have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. And they will rise one spot to the second position irrespective of the outcome of the last Test.

If England win the upcoming Test, they will finish on 108 points, two more than South Africa. On the other hand, if Sri Lanka wins, England will end the series with 106 points, level with South Africa. However, they will be above the Proteas by a fraction of a point. A drawn Test will mean England will finish on 107 points – nine points behind India.

In batsmen’s department, Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim has achieved a highest-ever position of 18th after his double-century against Zimbabwe. He moved up five places after scoring 219 not out in the second Test. In the same game, Brendon Taylor had scored two centuries and jumped 18 places to 27th position.

New Zealand’s Henry Nicholls has jumped 13 places to a career-high 20th position following his crucial 28 and 55 in a low-scoring thriller against Pakistan.

The biggest movers from the Pallekele Test have been Angelo Mathews and Roshen Silva of Sri Lanka and England’s Ben Foakes.

Mathews is not at 16th position after jumping five places while Silva and Foakes are 53rd and 54th respectively. India skipper Virat Kohli continues to lead the batting charts. He is followed by Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root.

Yasir Shah of Pakistan and Bangladesh’s spin duo of Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan are the biggest movers inside the top-30 in the bowlers’ category. Yasir has returned inside the top-20 in 19th position after climbing two places following his match figures of eight for 163. On the other hand, Taijul and Mehedi have achieved career-high positions. Taijul has moved three places to 27th following figures of five for 107 and two for 93, while Mehedi has leaped seven places to 28th following his eight wickets in the match.

England pace spearhead James Anderson is at the top of the bowlers’ list. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh continues to lead the all-rounders’ list.