Steve Smith, Pat Cummins top ICC Test Rankings; Jofra Archer moves into top 40 for first time

Dubai: Indian captain Virat Kohli has managed to hold on to his second position behind Australia’s Steve Smith in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen released on Monday. Kohli, with 903 rating points, is 34 points behind Smith’s 937. [caption id=“attachment_7295271” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Steve Smith’ player of the match effort of 211 and 82 runs in 4th Ashes Test had lifted him to 937 rating points. AP[/caption] Besides former Australia captain Smith, compatriot Pat Cummins has also retained his No 1 position in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings. Both Smith and Cummins played key roles in helping Australia retain the Ashes. The Ashes culminated with a 135-run victory for England in the fifth and final Test on Sunday. The series ended in a 2-2 draw with Australia retaining the Urn. Smith’s scores of 80 and 23 in the two innings of the final Test helped him remain at 937 rating points, an incredible effort since he started the series in the fourth position with 857 points before his surge that came courtesy 774 runs in four Tests. Cummins too is well clear of other bowlers as he enjoys a lead of 57 points over second-placed Kagiso Rabada after finishing as the top wicket-taker with 29 scalps. India’s Jasprit Bumrah is in third place. Other players from Australia to make notable gains are Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh. Wade’s fourth Test century has lifted him 32 places to 78th, his highest since being ranked 52nd in March 2013. Marsh’s maiden five-wicket haul has helped him gain 20 places to reach 54th place, his best since March 2017. David Warner has slid seven places after the fifth Ashes Test to finish in the 24th position among batsmen. He has slid 19 places during the five matches with a tally of 95 runs in 10 innings, after having started the series in the fifth position. For England, fast bowler Jofra Archer has moved into the top 40 for the first time after grabbing six first-innings wickets while left-arm seamer Sam Curran has gained six slots to reach 65th position with three wickets. Jos Buttler’s scores of 70 and 47 have lifted him back into the world’s top 30 for the first time since January this year while Joe Denly’s career-best score of 94 has taken him to a career-highest 57th place. Rory Burns has also moved up five places to 56th position.