Rahane becomes India’s highest-ranked Test batsman
Ajinkya Rahane has become India’s highest-ranked Test batsman in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings after scoring two centuries in his side’s 337 runs victory over South Africa in the New Delhi Test, which gave the home side a 3-0 series win.
The 27-year-old from Maharashtra had entered the Test in 26th spot, but after scoring 127 and 100 not out, he has stormed up 14 places to claim a career-high 12th position. In doing so, Rahane has leapfrogged Virat Kohli (up by two places to 14th), Murali Vijay (down by four places to 16th) and Cheteshwar Pujara (down by two places to 17th) as India now has four batsmen inside the top 20.
Ravichandran Ashwin is the other batsman who has improved his ranking post the New Delhi Test. Ashwin scored 56 in his only innings, which has helped him move up five places to 46th.
Meanwhile, Australia hosts the West Indies in a three-Test series while New Zealand takes on Sri Lanka in a two-Test series. Both series will start in Hobart and Dunedin, respectively, from Thursday.
Australia currently sits in the third position, but will move ahead of second-ranked India if it wins all three Tests. Similarly, if sixth-ranked New Zealand wins both the Tests, then it will swap places with fifth-ranked England. In the scenario of Sri Lanka winning both the Tests, it will rise to sixth while New Zealand will slip to seventh.
In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, four of the top six Test batsmen will be featuring in the forthcoming Tests with Australia captain Steven Smith sharing the number-one position with England’s Joe Root. This means he will have to perform strongly in Hobart, otherwise, he will fall off the top pedestal.
Kane Williamson of New Zealand is fourth, Australia’s David Warner is fifth and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews is sixth. Depending how these batsmen perform, there is likely to be some changes at the top of the tree.
| Rank | Batsman (Team) | Points |
| 1 | Steven Smith (Australia) | 886 |
| 2 | Joe Root (England) | 886 |
| 3 | AB de Villiers (South Africa) | 881 |
| 4 | Kane Williamson (New Zealand) | 876 |
| 5 | David Warner (Australia) | 862 |
| 6 | Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) | 851 |
| 7 | Younus Khan (Pakistan) | 826 |
| 8 | Hashim Amla (South Africa) | 810 |
| 9 | Alastair Cook (England) | 803 |
| 10 | Ross Taylor (New Zealand) | 787 |
| 12 | Ajinkya Rahane (India) | 753 |
| 14 | Virat Kohli (India) | 725 |
| 16 | Murali Vijay (India) | 697 |
| 17 | Cheteshwar Pujara (India) | 696 |