ICC Test Rankings: Suspended Kagiso Rabada regains bowling top spot
Despite being in the news for the wrong reasons, Kagiso Rabada's performances with the ball during the second South Africa-Australia Test moved him to the top spot in the latest ICC Test rankings, released after the end of the Port Elizabeth game.
The 22-year-old, who was suspended for two Tests after his send-off of Australian captain Steven Smith in the first innings, edged past England's James Anderson to occupy the top spot. His efforts of 11-150 in the game helped the side beat Australia by six wickets to level the series at 1-1.
While Rabada shone with the ball, his teammate AB de Villiers, who recently made a comeback to the Test whites, reached the seventh spot in the batting charts, a jump of five rungs after scoring 126* and a 28 in the game. The list continues to be led by Steven Smith, with Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and David Warner following him.
De Villiers' teammate Hashim Amla also gained one slot to reach the ninth spot, while Alastair Cook slipped two ranks to reach 10.
In the bowling charts, India's Ravichandran Ashwin gained two spots, and is currently on the fourth spot, while Australian pacer Mitchell Starc slipped as many as four positions, but continued to stay in the top-10, currently stationed at the ninth spot.
Here's the complete list:
BATTING:
#1 Steven Smith
#2 Virat Kohli
#3 Joe Root
#4 Kane Williamson
#5 David Warner
#6 Cheteshwar Pujara
#7 AB de Villiers
#8 Azhar Ali
#9 Hashim Amla
#10 Alastair Cook
BOWLING:
#1 Kagiso Rabada
#2 James Anderson
#3 Ravindra Jadeja
#4 Ravichandran Ashwin
#5 Josh Hazlewood
#6 Neil Wagner
#7 Rangana Herath
#8 Vernon Philander
#9 Mitchell Starc
#10 Nathan Lyon
ALL-ROUNDERS
#1 Shakib Al Hasan
#2 Ravindra Jadeja
#3 Ravichandran Ashwin
#4 Ben Stokes
#Vernon Philander