DUBAI: Virat Kohli’s outstanding performance propelled him to sixth place in the new ICC Test Rankings for batters. Kohli batted brilliantly against South Africa, scoring 38 and 76 in Centurion, followed by a crucial match-winning innings of 46 in the decisive game in Cape Town, for a series total of 172 runs.This rise in the rankings catapulted Kohli to 775 points, beating Babar Azam, who fell two places to seventh with 768 points following a dismal effort against Australia, scoring only 126 runs in six innings. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan’s 88-run performance in the first innings of the Sydney Test resulted in a substantial ten-place climb for him, propelling him to the 17th position with 668 rating points. Marnus Labuschagne’s scores of 60 and 62* enabled him climb three spots to fourth (802).New Zealand’s Kane Williamson retained a slim lead at the top of the batting rankings with 864 points, followed by Joe Root with 859, and Australia’s Steve Smith in third place with 818 points.Aamer Jamal continues to make a big impact in his debut series of bowling. His outstanding six-wicket haul in the Sydney Test moved him 12 spaces up the rankings, putting him in 45th place with 432 points. With 733 points, Shaheen Afridi is the highest-ranked Pakistani bowler, while Ravichandran Ashwin leads the bowling rankings with 863 points.
