Rohit Sharma Vaults Into Top 20, Virat Kohli Behind Steven Smith In Latest ICC Rankings
Rohit Sharma. (Credits: BCCI)

Rohit Sharma has made a big jump of 36 places in the latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen and now sits at the 17th spot. Tried as an opener for the first time in his career, Rohit scored centuries in both the innings to overpower South African bowlers. He scored 176 in the first innings and followed up with an innings of 127.

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There was no change in Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s ranking as he continues to hold on the second spot. He now has 899 points, 38 leads Steven Smith, who displaced him as a top-ranked batsman during Ashes 2019. Kohli did not make quite an impact in the first innings of the first Test in Vizag.

Ravichandran Ashwin
Credits – Getty

R Ashwin, who played his international match after nine months, was back in the top 10. The off-spinner bagged a seven-for in South Africa’ first innings and scalped a wicket in the second innings.

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He also created a number of records during the opening Test and became the quickest bowler in Tests to scalp 350 wickets, equalling the record of Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan.

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Rohit Sharma Vaults Into Top 20, Virat Kohli Behind Steven Smith In Latest ICC Rankings
Mayank Agarwal. Credit: BCCI

Mayank Agarwal, who converted his maiden century into double-century, also made big gains and jumped 38 places. He now sits at 25th spot in the rankings. Agarwal, who had made his debut against Australia last year, put up 317 runs for the first wicket with Rohit. It was his first Test at home.

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Centurions Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock also made gains following their heroics in Vizag. Elgar, who scored a gritty 160 in the first innings, now sits at 14th spot while De Kock is among the top ten batsmen, sitting at the seventh spot.

India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane dropped by three places and now sits at the 10th spot. He scored 15 and 27* in two innings.

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The second Test of the series will be played in Pune from October 10.