7 great batsmen who never topped the ICC Test rankings chart

One of the greatest joys of being a sports fan is the ability to fiddle around with numbers, and no other sport satiates the inner nerd quite like cricket. In modern-day cricket, two men have taken the burden upon themselves to redefine all numbers and the way we look at them.

Since the Adelaide Test in 2014, Steve Smith has played 39 Tests and has scored 4500 runs at an average of almost 80 with 19 hundreds. All this has meant that Smith now sits at No 2 behind Don Bradman in the ICC all-time rating list. Smith has 947 rating points compared to Bradman's 961.

India might have lost the second Test against South Africa in Centurion, but it didn't stop Virat Kohli from creating new records. Kohli scored a magnificent 153 and became only the 2nd Indian batsman to achieve 900 rating points after Gavaskar and only the 31st batsman in Test history to do so.

Interesting Plot-twist: Kohli has never been the No. 1 Test batsman in the world.

The following is a look at 7 great players who have never been World No 1. Some still have a shot, and for others, the train has long left the station.

#7 GRAEME SMITH: SOUTH AFRICA

HIGHEST RATING: 843 (January 18, 2010)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (January 18, 2010)

One of the greatest openers of his generation, Graeme Smith played 117 Tests in his career, scoring 9265 runs at an average of 48. Smith led South Africa in over 100 Tests, and took them to the top of the ICC Rankings Chart. Smith also briefly held the top spot in both ODI and T20I Batting Rankings.

The only thing missing from Smith's resume, apart from an ICC Trophy, is the No 1 ranking as a Test batsman. Smith rose to No. 2 in the Test rankings after his century against Englands at Johannesburg, but couldn't get past Gautam Gambhir who sat atop the rankings at that time.

The southpaw's form dipped post that, and while he was a top-20 batsman for the rest of his career, he never posed a serious challenge for the top spot again.

#6 ALASTAIR COOK: ENGLAND

Alastair Cook after completing 10000 runs in Test cricket; the first England batsman to do so

HIGHEST RATING: 874 (December 9, 2012)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (September 4, 2011)

The most prolific opener in Test history, Alastair Cook has scored over 12000 runs in his career and is a holder of some of Test cricket's major records. Cook is only 33, and will create some more records, however, the only one that looks out of his reach is the top spot in the ICC rankings.

Cook's highest rating came after his superlative hundred against India in Mumbai, which surprisingly earned him the 4th spot in the ICC Rankings. Only 5 points separated Cook and the top-ranked Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but the Englishman failed in the next Test and hasn't hit the same peak ever again.

Cook's highest ranking of 2 came when England were not even playing. Kumar Sangakkara slipped in the rankings which took him to second place but Cook was far behind top-ranked Jacques Kallis.

#5 DAVID WARNER: AUSTRALIA

David Warner celebrates his ton with a leap

HIGHEST RATING: 880 (December 13, 2014)

HIGHEST RANKING: 3 (July 20, 2014)

It has been an incredible journey for David Warner. From being a T20 specialist to one of Test cricket's greats, Warner's rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Warner has played 71 Tests and has scored 6146 runs in his career with 21 hundreds. Only Langer and Hayden have scored more hundreds as an opener for Australia

Warner's highest rating of 880 came after he scored twin hundreds against India at Adelaide which was good enough to earn him the 4th spot in the Test rankings behind Sangakkara, Chanderpaul and de Villiers.

Warner's highest ranking of 3 came a couple of series ago after he scored a 100 against Pakistan in the UAE.

Warner is only 31 and is expected to get better, and while nothing is guaranteed in life and sport, it will be a major surprise if he never gets to the top.

#4 WALLY HAMMOND: ENGLAND

Second only to Bradman; Hammond averaged 75 batting at No 3

HIGHEST RATING: 897 (April 4, 1933)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (August 21, 1929)

Wally Hammond was arguably England's greatest ever batsman. Hammond scored 7249 runs in his career at an incredible average of 58. He also scored 3440 runs at an average of 75 batting at No. 3, second only to Bradman, the man who denied him the top ranking throughout his career.

Hammond's highest rating of 897 came after he scored 336* against New Zealand. It was Hammond's second score of 200+ in as many innings and his 3rd hundred in 4 innings, but it was not good enough to get him the top spot in the rankings chart, one which was led by the great Sir Donald Bradman.

Hammond was ranked No. 2 for the first time in his career in August 1929 after he had scored a 100 against South Africa at The Oval. The top ranking at that time was held by Herbert Sutcliffe.

#3 VIRAT KOHLI: INDIA

Kohli after scoring a 100 at centurion; his 14th as India's Test captain

HIGHEST RATING: 900 (January 17, 2018)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (December 12, 2016)

Virat Kohli is the alpha batsman of his generation. It is, therefore, a bit surprising that he finds himself on this list, but such has been the domination of Steve Smith during the past 4 years that even Kohli has had to take a back seat.

Kohli currently sits at No. 2 in the rankings, a position that he has occupied for the better part of the last year. Kohli achieved his career-best rating of 900 after his hundred against South Africa at Centurion. He still finds himself 47 points short of Steve Smith, though.

Kohli has always talked about pushing the limits to get the best out of himself. How he does that to get the top spot remains to be seen.

#2 KEVIN PIETERSEN: ENGLAND

There was a never dull moment with Kevin Pietersen around

HIGHEST RATING: 909 (June 1, 2007)

HIGHEST RANKING: 3 (December 18, 2006)

909 rating points, 27th highest rating of all time and yet Kevin Pietersen finds himself on this list. It is no fault of Pietersen though, such was the domination of Mohammad Yousuf and Ricky Ponting in the mid-2000s, even Pietersen wasn't able to break through.

He scored over 8000 runs in his career, and while he played some of the greatest knocks we have ever seen, he was never able to maintain consistency, thus denying him the opportunity to get to the top of the mountain.

#1 GEORGE HEADLEY: WEST INDIES

Headley has the highest rating points for a batsman to have never been ranked No. 1: 915

HIGHEST RATING: 915 (January 25, 1948)

HIGHEST RANKING: 2 (January 28, 1935)

George Headley was nicknamed the 'Black Bradman' for his spectacular feats on a cricket field. Fittingly, it was Bradman who denied him the top spot during the course of his career.

Headley's career spanned over two decades. He played 24 Tests in his career, scoring 2190 runs at an average of 60.83.

His peak rating came after a Test against England in 1948. Headley had 915 points after the Test which was good enough to get him the 2nd spot behind Bradman who led the chart with 957 points.