Following India’s 2-1 series win over Australia, several Indian cricketers including Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, have significantly improved their rankings in the ICC Test rankings. Kohli, in particular, has made a remarkable leap, propelling seven places to claim the No. 13 spot. Although Kohli was once the world’s top-ranked batter in all formats, he had fallen out of the top 10 last year. While he has not yet made it back to the top 10. Kohli’s impressive knock of 186 has given Indian fans hope for the future.
Kohli’s rank jump of seven places in the ICC rankings is a reflection of his outstanding performance in the series. He emerged as India’s highest run-scorer and the second-highest overall. Only Rishabh Pant (ranked 5th) and Rohit Sharma (ranked 10th) are ahead of him in ICC Rankings. Kohli amassed 297 runs in the series, trailing only Usman Khawaja. While Kohli didn’t register any big scores, he displayed his trademark fluent batting throughout the series. Although he had shown glimpses of his form with a knock of 44 runs in Delhi, it was his innings in the series decider that stood out. Kohli anchored the innings and scored his 28th Test century after a gap of 1205 days. It helped India take the lead and take control of the match.
Ashwin is back to no.1 spot replacing Anderson
After a tight competition with James Anderson for the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings, Ravichandran Ashwin finally cemented his position as the top-ranked bowler. Although Ashwin and Anderson were previously declared as joint No. 1 ranked Test bowlers. Ashwin’s impressive five-wicket haul in Ahmedabad, which was his 32nd career five-wicket haul, took him to 869 points. Ashwin’s brilliant performance in the series, where he picked up 26 wickets, earned him the Player of the Series award alongside his spin partner Ravindra Jadeja. He achieved two 5-wicket hauls – 5/37 in Nagpur and 6/91 in Ahmedabad. Apart from this he also has four 3-wicket hauls, which showcased his pure domination throughout the series.
Axar also climbed big in ICC Rankings
Apart from Kohli and Ashwin, Axar Patel also received a significant boost in his ICC Test rankings for his impressive performances in the series. Though he picked up only two wickets, his contributions with the bat were remarkable, scoring a total of 264 runs, including three half-centuries, and rising eight places to be ranked 44 on the list of Test batters. Axar’s career-best innings of 84 in the first Test and a crucial 74 in Delhi helped India secure comprehensive victories. Additionally, in his hometown of Ahmedabad, the all-rounder played a scintillating knock of 79, partnering with Kohli for a massive 262-run partnership, showcasing his batting skills. These innings demonstrated Axar’s remarkable improvement as a batsman.
Australia had some bright spots in the series as well, with the performances of Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, and Travis Head being recognized. Khawaja, who was the top scorer with 333 runs, climbed two places to be ranked seventh. Meanwhile, all-rounder Cameron Green achieved his career-best ranking of 26th after jumping 11 spots thanks to his maiden Test century. Travis Head maintained his fifth position in the rankings.
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