Virat Kohli closes gap on Steve Smith; Mayank Agarwal moves into top 10 in latest ICC rankings

The International Cricket Council released the latest ICC cricket rankings which saw Indian skipper Virat Kohli reduce the gap to number one-ranked Test batsman Steve Smith to only three points. Virat Kohli scored a fantastic hundred in India’s first-ever day-night Test which helped him reduce the gap from 25 to just three points people .

Impressive performances by the Indian bowlers in the recently concluded two-match Test series against Bangladesh helped them climb up the charts as well. Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma amassed their career-high rating points of 672 and 716 respectively. Meanwhile, Indian opener Mayank Agarwal made his first entry into the top ten of the batting charts, currently ranked 10th with 700 points.

BJ Watling

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England all-rounder Ben Stokes also entered the top 10 and is currently the ninth-ranked Test batsman after his gutsy performance in the first Test against New Zealand where he scored 91 runs in the first innings.

New Zealand’s Neil Wagner reached a career-high position of three in the bowling charts with 816 points. Wagner took eight wickets in the first Test which the hosts won by an innings and 65 runs.

🇳🇿 Neil Wagner breaks into the top five🇦🇺 Josh Hazlewood returns to the top 10🇮🇳 R Ashwin progresses in the rankingsUpdated @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings for bowling: https://t.co/to2xXUIssc pic.twitter.com/VspDMmFiUS

— ICC (@ICC) November 26, 2019

New Zealand keeper BJ Watling emerged as the top-ranked keeper-batsman, overtaking Quinton de Kock after his double century against England. Watling showed remarkable grit in his 205-run knock.

🔼 Vernon Philander🔼 Colin de GrandhommeJason Holder remains at the 🔝Updated @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings for all-rounders: https://t.co/7ghhYeZebT pic.twitter.com/9csnVMaiRi

— ICC (@ICC) November 26, 2019

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne’s knock of 185 helped him rise to the 14th place in the rankings for Test batsmen, all but cementing his spot in the top-order after emerging on the international circuit as a concussion substitute in Ashes 2019.