New Zealand Test skipper Kane Williamson have leapfrogged Steve Smith and Virat Kohli to end 2020 as the No.1 Test batsman in the latest released ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. The Kiwi superstar overtakes Smith and Kohli after his player of the match effort in the first Test against Pakistan in Tauranga.
Incidentally, Kane Williamson has occupied this spot for a small period towards the end of 2015 but either Steve Smith or Virat Kohli have been number one since then. This year too, Smith was at the top for 313 days following his stellar show since Ashes 2019 and Kohli for 51, before Williamson went past both of his contemporaries to end the year on a high.
Kane Williamson leapfrogs Kohli, Smith
Kane Williamson has gained 13 rating points for his effort of 129 and 21 to go 11 points clear of Kohli and 13 ahead of Smith. Kohli is on paternity leave for the last three Tests of India’s ongoing series against Australia while Smith’s MCG outing could only get him scores of zero and eight. On the other hand, Ross Taylor has jumped up three places to occupy the 14th spot in the ICC Test Rankings.
Also Read: David Warner Clarifies Whether Sunrisers Hyderabad Will Retain Kane Williamson For 2021 IPL
For Pakistan, Fawad Alam’s valiant second-innings century has lifted him 80 places to 102nd position while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan’s scores of 71 and 60 have helped him advance 27 places to a career-best 47th position.
Ajinkya Rahane jumps six places
Speaking about India’s stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who is at the helm in the absence of Virat Kohli, has advanced five places to reach the sixth position, just one below his career-best of fifth attained in October 2019. Rahane led his side from the front with scores of 112 and 21 not out to script a historic comeback in the Boxing Day Test.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (up two places to seventh) and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (up one place to ninth) have made notable gains within the top 10. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is another big gainer, moving up 11 spots to a career best-equalling 36th place among batsmen after a handy knock of 57 in his only innings in Melbourne and gaining four places to reach 14th place among bowlers after finishing with three wickets in the match.
Debutants Shubman Gill and Mohammad Siraj have made notable entries in 76th and 77th positions in the list for batsmen and bowlers, respectively. Gill scored 45 and 35 not out opening the innings while Siraj finished with five wickets in the match.
Here is the ICC Test Ranking list:
We have a new No.1, folks!
⬆️ Kane Williamson rises to the top
⬆️ Ajinkya Rahane jumps to No.6Latest update in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings 👉 https://t.co/OMjjVwOboH pic.twitter.com/rhmfe8jpUd
— ICC (@ICC) December 31, 2020
🇦🇺 Mitchell Starc enters top five
🇮🇳 R Ashwin jumps to No.7
🇮🇳 Jasprit Bumrah becomes No.9Latest update in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Rankings 👉 https://t.co/OMjjVwOboH pic.twitter.com/RLU1nMpfoV
— ICC (@ICC) December 31, 2020
