Stokes, Root surge up Test rankings

England’s thrilling first Test win over New Zealand has seen their players surge up the official International Cricket Council Test match rankings, with man of the match Ben Stokes the biggest winner.

Stokes, off the back of scores of 92 and 101, and three second innings wickets, vaulted into career best Test batting (44th), bowling (51st) and allrounder (13th) positions.

Stokes’ 101 was the fastest century at Lord’s, registering three figures from only 85 balls in front of a jubilant, jam-packed crowd. 

WATCH: Stokes' sizzling century

New vice-captain Joe Root, after tallying 98 and 84, has broken into the top five Test batsmen for the first time and now sits just one rating point behind his Australian counterpart Steve Smith.

While Smith remains in the top five, the same can’t be said for his fast bowling teammate Mitchell Johnson.

Johnson slips to sixth spot after Trent Boult’s nine wickets at the Home of Cricket, including 5-85 in the second innings, catapulting the slippery left-armer into fourth position, ahead of Sri Lana spinner Rangana Herath the Australian tearaway.

While Boult might have jumped one of his fellow Antipodeans, another in Ryan Harris still sits ahead of the New Zealander in third spot.

Boult’s countryman, first-drop Kane Williamson, has achieved a career-high rating of 860 points to remain hot on the heels of Smith and Root in sixth.

Sri Lanka champion Kumar Sangakkara remains at the apex of the Test batting charts, while South African speedster Dale Steyn continues his dominance as the world’s best five-day bowler. 

ICC Test batting rankings

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ICC Test bowling rankings

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Images courtesy of icc-cricket.com