ICC Test Rankings: Steven Smith Achieves Joint-Second Highest Batting Points Ever; Inches Closer To Don Bradman
While only time will tell whether Steven Smith manages to match Sir Don Bradman’s achievements on the cricket field but at the time being, the Australia skipper is well on his way to replicate his illustrious compatriot’s extraordinary feats.
Strengthening his top spot in rankings for the batsman in Test cricket, the 28-year old moved closer towards Don Bradman’s highest-ever ranking points, as he made significant gains in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings after his match-winning double-century in the just-concluded third Ashes Test against England in Perth.
Leading his team from the front, the right-handed batsman scored a career-best 239 at the WACA which not only helped his team to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series and regain the urn, but also helped him reach a tally of 945 points, which is the joint-second best rating in the history of the game. The Australia star is now level with England legend Len Hutton.
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Smith had reached 941 points after scoring an unbeaten ton in the first Test in Brisbane, but a rare lukewarm outing in the following Test in Adelaide saw him losing three rating points.
However, he gained seven points after his monumental knock in the third Test. The 945-point tally has helped Smith to overtake some of the biggest names in the history of the game like Peter May, Ricky Ponting and Jack Hobbs. Smith is now in touching distance of equalling as well as surpassing Bradman’s tally of 961 points.
Smith, who has been occupying the number one spot from the last two years, has been the most prolific run-scorer in Tests in the last couple of years and the fact that he leads his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli by 25 points pretty much proves that.
Smith’s batting average of 62.32 is second only to Bradman regarding batsmen with at least 20 Test innings. The Australia number three, meanwhile, has already surpassed Bradman concerning a number of Tests at the top.
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Smith has been sitting at the pinnacle of the rankings for 114 Tests, which is the fifth-most in a list led by Gary Sobers (189 Tests) followed by Viv Richards (179), Brian Lara (140) and Sachin Tendulkar (139).
Coming to the other players who made significant gains, England batsman Dawid Malan and Australia’s Mitchell Marsh have attained career-best rankings.
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Malan, who scored a century and a fifty in the match, moved up 47 places to take the 52nd position while the 181-run knock has helped Marsh to jump 44 spots to 65th.
Another centurion in the game, Jonny Bairstow has moved up one place to 15th while Australia’s Usman Khawaja has gained two slots to take the 19th position.
In the bowlers’ list, Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood has gained one slot to move into the top five after finishing with eight wickets in the match. Pat Cummins (up by four places to 39th) and Craig Overton (up by seven places to 89th) have also moved up in the latest rankings.
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