Kohli closes in on Ponting record

Australia's Steve Smith is the only man standing in the way of Indian rival Virat Kohli becoming the No.1 ranked batsman in all three forms of the game.

Kohli, ranked No.1 in T20 and ODI cricket, has moved up to No.2 in the latest Test batting rankings behind Smith after his double of 243 and 50 against Sri Lanka this week.

Aussie legend Ricky Ponting is the only man in history to have held top spot in all three forms of the game at the same time.

Kohli's task, though, is a big one; while Smith dropped three rankings points after his double of 40 and 6 in the second Magellan Ashes Test against England, he still holds a massive 45-point lead over Kohli.

Kohli leapfrogged Cheteshwar Pujara, Kane Williamson and Joe Root in the latest rankings and only 28 points separate that quartet in positions second, third, fourth and fifth.

Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal, who moved up eight spots to ninth after his double of 164 and 36 in Delhi, is the only other change to the top 10 batting rankings.

Australia's Ashes hero in Adelaide, Shaun Marsh, has moved up sixth places to a career high of 27th spot.

On the bowling front, Aussie paceman Mitchell Starc (up two places to eighth) and Pat Cummins (up two places to 43rd) gained ground. Starc, fellow quick Josh Hazlewood (sixth) and spinner Nathan Lyon (ninth) make it a trio of Australian bowlers in the top 10.

ICC Test Batting Rankings

1) Steve Smith (Australia) - 938 points
2) Virat Kohli (India) - 893
3) Joe Root (England) - 879
4) Cheteshwar Pujara (India) - 873
5) Kane Williamson (New Zealand) - 865
6) David Warner (Australia) - 815
7) Hashim Amla (South Africa) - 795
8) Azhar Ali (Pakistan) - 755
9) Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka) - 743
10) Dean Elgar (South Africa) - 732

ICC Test Bowling Rankings

1) James Anderson (England) - 894
2) Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) - 876
3) Ravindra Jadeja (India) - 870
4) Ravichandran Ashwin (India) - 829
5) Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) - 799
6) Josh Hazlewood (Australia) - 786
7) Neil Wagner (New Zealand) - 785
8) Mitchell Starc (Australia) - 775
9) Nathan Lyon (Australia) - 774
10) Dale Steyn (South Africa) - 748