Pant tops Dhoni in latest ICC rankings

Rishabh Pant has achieved the highest-ever Test batting rating for an Indian wicketkeeper, moving up to 17th spot in the latest ICC rankings.

Pant’s unbeaten 159 against Australia in Sydney has seen him jump 21 spots and earn 673 rating points, topping MS Dhoni’s career-best record of 662 points and Farokh Engineer’s mark of 619.

Engineer was also ranked in 21st spot way back in 1973.

Pant only made his Test debut in August last year and already has almost 700 runs to his name, including two centuries.

Teammate Cheteshwar Pujara, who also scored a century at the SCG, has moved up one spot to third on the batting rankings, moving ahead of banned Australian Steve Smith, who has slipped to fourth.

South Africa’s Aiden Markram was another big mover in the latest rankings, gaining seven spots to be 10th after his innings of 78 against Pakistan in Cape Town.

Australian opener Marcus Harris moved up 21 spots to be 69th following his career best of 79 at the SCG.

Among the bowlers, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has moved up one spot to 13th, India’s Jasprit Bumrah remains in 16th, Mohammad Shami gained one place to be 22nd and spinner Kuldeep Yadav jumped seven spots to be 45th.

Proteas quick Vernon Philander moved up one position to be equal third alongside Australian Pat Cummins.

ICC Test Rankings

BATTING

1) Virat Kohli (Ind) – 922 points

2) Kane Williamson (NZ) – 897

3) Cheteshwar Pujara (Ind) – 881

4) Steve Smith (Aus) – 874

5) Joe Root (Eng) – 807

6) David Warner (Aus) – 772

7) Henry Nicholls (NZ) – 763

8) Dean Elgar (SAF) – 727

9) Dimuth Karunaratne (SL) – 715

10) Aiden Markram (SAF) - 698

BOWLING

1) Kagiso Rabada (SAF) – 893 points

2) James Anderson (Eng) – 874

=3) Vernon Philander (SAF) -  804

=3) Pat Cummins (Aus) – 804

5) Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) – 794

6) Mohammad Abbas (Pak) – 789

7) Trent Boult (NZ) – 771

8) Tim Southee (NZ) – 767

9) Ravi Ashwin (Ind) – 763

10) Jason Holder (WI) - 751