ICC Test rankings: Kohli remains No.1, Labuschagne overtakes Pujara
The Indian captain Virat Kohli will finish 2019 as the No. 1 Test batsman in the world as he has been able to maintain his top position in Test cricket in the latest players’ rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Kohli (928 points) has widened the gap between himself and his closest competitor Steve Smith (911 points). Smith hasn’t had a great time with the bat in the recent weeks as he has scored only one half-century in 4 Test matches he has played against Pakistan and New Zealand in this Australian summer so far.
The young Australian batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne, who is the leading run scorer in Test cricket in 2019, has overtaken the Indian one-drop batsman Cheteshwar Pujara who has slipped down a position and is now at no. 5. Apart from Kohli and Pujara, the Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is also in top 10 in the rankings as he is holding the joint 7th position with Australia’s David Warner who recently scored a triple century against Pakistan.
The Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (794 points), who has missed a few Test matches because of injury, is still at no. 6 in the bowlers’ rankings. The other two Indian bowlers in top 10 are Ravichandran Ashwin (9th) and Mohammed Shami (10th).
Pat Cummins has further strengthened his position as the No.1 Test bowler in the world with 8 wickets in 2 Test matches in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. There is a 43-point gap between him and Neil Wagner who is seated at the second position in the rankings. Wagner has also been in sensational form with the ball of late as he has grabbed 14 scalps in 2 Test matches against Australia. However, despite the efforts of the 33-year old southpaw, New Zealand lost both the Tests and trails the 3-match series 2-0.