Smith in rare air after Gabba ton

Steve Smith has increased his lead as the world’s best Test batsman after his brilliant century in Australia’s first Magellan Ashes Test win against England in Brisbane.

Smith has moved to 941 ranking points, the equal fifth-highest of all time alongside Peter May, with only Sir Donald Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs (942), Ricky Ponting (942) having achieved higher.

The Australia captain sits 53 points clear of second placed Cheteshwar Pujara, while England skipper Joe Root, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and India superstar Virat Kohli round out the top five, with just 11 points separating those ranked 2-4.

Smith scored a match-winning unbeaten 141 at the Gabba, his 21st Test century. It’s the second time the 28-year-old has reached 941 rankings points, having also achieved it during the Qantas tour of India earlier this year.

Smith's defiant century came after his side had been languishing at 4-76 late on day two and then 7-209 on Saturday. But his unbeaten 141 from more than eight hours at the crease helped his side take an unexpected and valuable 26-run lead on the first innings.

If Australia’s captain can produce another strong performance when the second Test gets underway at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, he could surpass not only Ponting but also Hutton and Hobbs into second place behind Bradman.

His efforts in Brisbane prompted Australia legend Ponting to note that his own record of 41 career hundreds is under serious threat from Smith, and he believes the current skipper could finish his career as one of the best, if not the best, batsman the game has ever seen.

"Hopefully it's in danger, I'd love to see that," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"If he keeps going like he is, he's going to catch me in four or five years. It's well and truly in danger. 

"What we're seeing is potentially one of, if not the best batsman that the game has ever seen."

In other rankings news, India’s Pujara returned to second spot in the batting charts after scoring 143 in his team’s Test win over Sri Lanka in Nagpur.

It meant England’s Root slipped one spot to third despite scoring a half-century in his team’s second dig in Brisbane, while Australia vice-captain David Warner sits in sixth spot, 51 points behind Kohli.

Shaun Marsh moved two places to 43rd after his fighting half-century, while England opener Alastair Cook slipped out of the top 10 to 14th after scores of 2 and 7.

In the bowlers’ rankings, Australia quick Mitchell Starc has returned to the top 10, moving up three places to 10th after match figures of 6-128 in Brisbane, while fellow paceman Pat Cummins rose six places to 45th.

ICC top 10 batsmen 

1. Steve Smith (Australia) – 941

2. Cheteshwar Pujara (India) – 888

3. Joe Root (England) – 881

4. Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 880

5. Virat Kohli (India) - 877        

6. David Warner (Australia) – 826

7. Hashim Amla (South Africa) – 826

8. Azhar Ali (Pakistan) – 755 

9. KL Rahul (India) – 735

10. Dean Elgar (South Africa) – 732

ICC top 10 bowlers

1. James Anderson (England) – 891

2. Ravindra Jadeja (India) – 880

3. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) – 876 

4. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 849

5. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) – 807

6. Josh Hazlewood (Australia) – 798

7. Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 753

8. Dale Steyn (South Africa) – 748

9. Neil Wagner (New Zealand) – 745

10. Mitchell Starc (Australia) - 744

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21