ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli returns to top 10 after nearly 2 years

Listen to Story Former India captain Virat Kohli has re entered the top 10 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Rankings. Kohli jumped 4 spots to reach No. 9 in the rankings, updated on January 3, 2024. It's the first time since March 2022 that Virat Kohli is in the top 10 of the batting charts in the longest format of the game.

Kohli is also the only Indian batter in the top 10 of the ICC Rankings. Virat Kohli's rise to the top 10 comes after his solid batting exploits in the first of the 2 match series against South Africa. Kohli hit 38 in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test in Centurion and followed it up with a fighting 76 in the second innings even as India lost the Test by an innings and 32 runs.

Virat Kohli has been slowly but surely getting back to his best in Test cricket after a couple of years of a lean patch. Kohli averaged over 40 only once between 2020 and 2022, but he showed signs of a return to form, scoring 671 runs in 8 Tests at an average of 54.73 and 2 hundreds. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma slipped from No.

10 to No. 14 after his twin failures in the Boxing Day Test. Rohit Sharma managed just 5 runs across two linings as South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada had his number in both the innings. Rohit was out for 0 in the second innings after Rabada's unplayable delivery knocked his stumps over. Rishabh Pant is the only other Indian in the top 15 of the ICC Test Batting Rankings.

The wicketkeeper batter is at the 12th spot despite not having played competitive cricket in over a year. Kane Williamson continues to lead the ICC Test Batting Rankings. England's Joe Root and Australia's Steve Smith are at the 2nd and 3rd spots. New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell is at the 3rd spot while Australia's Usman Khawaja slipped a place to 4th.

Pakistan's Babar Azam, who has been going through one of his worst phases in Test cricket, has dropped to No. 5. On the Test bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah re entered the rankings following his return to Test cricket, positioned in fifth (767), marginally behind compatriot Ravindra Jadeja (774).

Marco Jansen's efforts led to a three place jump to 22nd (618), though saw an five place jump in the all rounder rankings to 8th, moving to a career best rating of 268. Over in the Australia Pakistan series, new face Aamer Jamal continues to make a strong first series impression, moving up another 17 spots on the bowling rankings to 57th.

The quick claimed 3/64 and 2/74, also scoring crucial runs and moving up 34 rungs to 68th on the all rounder rankings..