ICC Test batting rankings: Marnus Labuschagne dethrones Joe Root to capture number one spot

Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne has regained the number one spot in the ICC Test batting rankings, dislodging England's Joe Root. With 935 rating points, Labuschagne is also closing in on a career-high rating.

The right-handed batter made scores of 204 and 104* in the first Test against the West Indies in Perth. The 27-year-old's 935 rating points are only one mark short of his highest-ever rating of 936, which he achieved after playing in Pakistan earlier this year.

Labuschagne will now have the chance to surge past the likes of Sir Viv Richards and Virat Kohli in terms of rating points. Fellow Australian Steve Smith moved to the second spot in the rankings after accumulating a double hundred in Australia's first innings in Perth. Smith's rating of 893 points is just above Babar Azam (879) and Root (876).

The Yorkshire batter climbed to the summit after some magnificent performances in the English summer. However, it was a mixed bag in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi as the visitors secured one of their most famous wins in red-ball cricket.

Marnus Labuschagne retains his spot in the playing XI with Steve Smith to lead in Adelaide

Steve Smith. (Image Credits: Getty)

Australia have retained a strong playing XI for the second Test against the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval, which starts on December 8. However, the management has decided to rest Pat Cummins, who sustained a strain in his right quad in the first Test.

Smith, Cummins' deputy, will lead in the pink-ball Test but has maintained that he is under no pressure. The 33-year-old said, as quoted by cricket.com.au:

"I have to do it my own way, I can't try to be someone else. When something like this happens, we've obviously got plans in place for certain opposition batters but ultimately, it's whatever the game entails, and what needs to be done. I'm pretty chilled. I took over the game here last year and thought it worked pretty smoothly."

Australia wrapped up a 164-run win in Perth to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series and retain the Frank-Worrell Trophy.