Kohli tops Tendulkar in Test rankings

India maestro Virat Kohli has achieved something that was even beyond the great Sachin Tendulkar – reaching 900 points in the latest ICC Test batting rankings.

Kohli compiled a majestic 153 in the first innings of India loss against South Africa in the second Test at Centurion, his 21st in the five-day format, and received 20 points to move from 880 to 900.

The 29-year-old captain is the second Indian batsman to achieve the feat, with former opener Sunil Gavaskar reaching 916 points in 1979.

Even Tendulkar failed to reach the 900-point barrier, peaking at 898 points in 2002, while Rahul Dravid reached 892 points in 2005.

Kohli leapfrogged England’s Joe Root into second spot on the rankings, leaving him 47 points behind Australia skipper Steve Smith, and he is only the 31st batsman in Test history to earn the rating.

Don Bradman tops the table with 961 points, followed by Smith (947), Len Hutton (945), Ricky Ponting and Jack Hobbs (both 942 points).

Kohli boasts an average of 53.51 after 65 Tests and won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as Cricketer of the Year at the annual ICC awards, while he was also named the ODI Player of the Year.

Smith was crowned the Test Player of the Year for a second time.

Root is third in the batting rankings on 881 points, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (855) and Australia vice-captain David Warner (827) round out the top five.

South Africa trio Hashim Amla (eighth), Faf du Plessis (12th) and Dean Elgar (14th) were all rewarded with improved places in the rankings after impressive efforts at Centurion, while India pair Cheteshwar Pujara (sixth) and Lokesh Rahul (18th) and Proteas gloveman Quinton de Kock (20th) all slipped.

Outside the top 20, South Africa opener Aiden Markram moved up 10 places to share 38th position with West Indian Roston Chase.

In the ICC Test bowling rankings, Kagiso Rabada’s hold on the No.1 spot lasted just one Test after he slipped behind England’s James Anderson, with four wickets against India in the second Test not enough to keep him in top position. Rabada sits on 872 points, 15 behind Anderson on 887.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Vernon Philander were the other bowlers inside the top 10 to fall, going down one position each. Ashwin is now fifth, while Philander is seventh.

India fast bowler Mohammad Shami has achieved a career-high ranking of 17th after taking five wickets at Centurion.

South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi has made an impressive entry into the rankings, with his player-of-the-match performance leaving him in 61st position. Ngidi snared 1-51 and 6-39 as his team took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.