ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli becomes first Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to become No.1

Indan Test skipper Virat Kohli has overtaken Steven Smith to top the ICC Test rankings for batsmen for the first time in his career following his spectacular effort against England in the recently concluded first Test at Birmingham.

He is the first Indan to achieve the feat since Sachin Tendulkar did so in 2011.

Though Kohli's knocks of 149 and 51 came in a losing cause with the visitors losing the match by 31 runs, the 29-year-old's individual brilliance saw him achieve a rating of 934 in the latest ICC ranking - 5 more than Steven Smith, who is currently serving a one-year ban imposed by Cricket Australia for his role in the ball-tampering scandal against South Africa earlier this year.

Kohli is ranked Number 1 in the ICC ODI rankings as well while he sits just outside the Top 10 rankings for batsmen in T20Is at the 12th position.

With his latest feat, Kohli has now achieved the best rating ever by an Indian batsman in all three formats of the game with the rating of 911 he currently holds in ODIs and a rating of 897 he achieved in T20Is back in 2014 to go along with the 934 rating he has accumulated in Test cricket.

Heading into the five-match Test series between India and England, all eyes were on Indian skipper Virat Kohli on how well he would be able to cope up against the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, especially considering the torrid time he endured in 2014 when he scored just 134 runs in ten innings.

Anderson tested out Kohli at Edgbaston and while Kohli did enjoy his slice of luck, it was the Indian batsman who came out on top with a superlative effort which unfortunately found little support from his fellow teammates.

Kohli single-handedly took India to the brink of victory before the hosts pulled off a thrilling win but the 29-year-old has well and truly laid down the marker for the rest of the series.

Virat Kohli & Co play the chasing game yet again on an overseas tour and it will begin with the second Test which will begin next Thursday at Lord's.

India is likely to make a few changes, with Cheteswar Pujara almost certain to make his way back into the side after being left out for the opener at Edgbaston.

Extra Cover: England vs India 2018: India's predicted XI for the second Test