ICC Test Rankings 2019: Virat Kohli Maintains Top Spot

The Indian National Cricket Team skipper Virat Kohli has maintained his top spot in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batsmen issued on Monday. Kohli, who in the first week of December had reclaimed the top spot from Steve Smith, is currently at 928 rating points and is 17 points ahead of the Australian.

Virat Kohli has finished as the No.1 batsman in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings for Test batsmen for the 2nd successive year. Since 2016, Kohli has ended with the most number of runs in all Tests, ODIs and T20Is combined, each year. In 2016, Kohli top-scored with 2595 runs to his name and later followed that up with 2818 and 2735 runs in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Marnus Labuschagne finished with 1085 runs:

Following Virat Kohli, Steve Smith placed at second place while Kane Williamson is placed third in the chart. The incredible series against Pakistan and New Zealand helped Marnus Labuschagne to finish the year at number 4 in the ICC rankings. He scored 1085 runs to finish the year with incredible average.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were the two other Indians in the batsmen list as they retained their positions at 5th and 7th respectively. Quinton De Kock, who scored 85 during the first Test between England and South Africa, climbed eight spots to claim the 10th position behind Joe Root.

In the bowlers’ list, Pat Cummins is at the top of the pile with 902 points while New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner climbed a spot to take the second position. Cummins, who has been in superb form all through the year, finished with 99 international wickets to become the leading wicket-taker in 2019.

India’s lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah, returning from an injury layoff, remained at sixth position with 794 points, while spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (772 points) and seamer Mohammed Shami (771) were ninth and tenth respectively in the order.

Here are the ICC Test Rankings:

? RANKINGS UPDATE ?

With his enterprising 95 against ???????, Quinton de Kock not only set up ??'s win, but also shot into the top ? of the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings for batsmen! pic.twitter.com/oY5l7TuU7p

— ICC (@ICC) December 30, 2019

Some good news for ?? despite their big loss to ?? in Melbourne with Neil Wagner's seven-wicket haul getting rewarded in the latest edition of the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings for bowlers. pic.twitter.com/EaKHNsfdh6

— ICC (@ICC) December 30, 2019