10 batsmen who are ahead of Virat Kohli in the ICC All-Time Test rankings list

(9) Gary Sobers (West Indies): 938

Gary Sobers went from 500 to 900 rating points in the span of one year.

One of the greatest cricketers of all time, Gary Sobers slots in at the 9th spot in the ICC All-Time rankings list. Sobers is the most versatile cricketer to have played the game, and is the holder of some of the game's biggest records. A left handed batsman, Sobers bowled both left-arm orthodox and leg-spin equally well. He was also a decent medium pace bowler, and is one of the greatest close-in fielders of all time. Sobers holds the record for the highest score by a batsman in his first hundred. He scored 365* against Pakistan in 1958 which was at the time the highest individual score by a batsman in Test cricket.

Sobers was called the best batsman by Bradman, and was persuaded to not retire by the Don. He set the stage for the West Indies' domination of world cricket from the 1970s onward. He captained them in 39 tests, and while the team did not get much success, Sobers was exceptional at the job. Sobers first crossed the 900 points barrier in 1958, he scored 1299 runs at an average of 145 in that calendar year. Sobers would continue on his merry ways in the upcoming years, but in 1966 Sobers had a second wind.

Between June 1966 and January 1967, Sobers played 8 tests and scored 1064 runs at an average of 106. It propelled Sobers to the top of the rankings chart. Sobers bettered his 1958 peak after scoring a 174 against England at Headingley in 1976. He had 936 points to his name. After his 95 and 74* against India in Chennai (1967), Sobers had 938 points, tying Clyde Walcott. Sobers did not play another test match in 1967, and while he was prolific in the next few years, he never reached the same heights ever again. Sobers retired in 1974 as the leading run-scorer in Test history with 8032 runs to his name.