Kiwi Kane big mover in latest ICC rankings

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has jumped back into second place in the latest ICC Test batting rankings, placed behind only Steve Smith among the world's best batsmen.

Williamson scored a stellar 176 in his side's drawn third Test against South Africa earlier this week, to earn 57 ratings points and move to 880, ahead of new England skipper Joe Root (848) and India pair Cheteshwar Pujara (846) and Virat Kohli (818). 

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The 26-year-old Black Caps leader equalled Martin Crowe's record of 17 Test hundreds this week, and also earned the Sir Richard Hadlee medal for New Zealand's Player of the Year across all formats. 

Incredibly, Australia captain Smith's century in the first innings of the fourth Test in Dharamsala was not enough to earn him any more points beyond his existing mark of 941 - the equal-fifth highest of all time.

Only Don Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs and Ricky Ponting (942) have amassed higher rating points totals.

Smith finished the Test series against India with scores of 111 and 17 in Dharamsala, making it three centuries from four matches.

Outside the top five, star 'keeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has jumped four places to sixth off the back of some impressive form, a rise that makes him South Africa's top ranked batsman. 

After piling on six half-centuries against Australia, India opener KL Rahul moves to 11th position in the batting rankings, just nine points behind Hashim Amla in 10th. 

India's spin pair Ravindra Jadeja (first) and Ravichandran Ashwin (second) maintained their stranglehold on the top two spots on the bowling rankings, with Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath, Australia quick Josh Hazlewood and England's James Anderson rounding out an unchanged top five.

After taking five wickets in the decider in Dharamsala, India quick Umesh Yadav has achieved a career-high ranking, jumping five places to 21st. 

Jadeja has also moved ahead of Ashwin in the allrounders Test rankings, with both spinners trailing Bangladeshi star Shakib-Al-Hasan.