Steve Smith overtakes Kohli as top-ranked Test batsman

DUBAI: Australia’s Steve Smith is back on top of the list of batsmen in the ICC Test Player Rankings as Indian captain Kohli concedes top place after Wellington Test.

Virat Kohli could manage only 21 runs in his two innings in the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington, which his side lost by 10 wickets to concede a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

This is the eighth time that Smith is on top of the rankings after first reaching the top position in June 2015. The last batsman apart from Smith and Kohli to be No. 1 was New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, for an eight-day period in December 2015.

New Zealand’s Ross Taylor and Colin Grandhomme have moved up the batsmen’s list while fast bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult have made big gains after finishing with nine and five wickets, respectively.

Tim Southee has advanced eight spots to take sixth position, which is his highest since a career-best fifth place in June 2014. Boult has moved up four slots to take joint-13th position. India opener Mayank Agarwal is back at a career-best 10th position with his highest aggregate points tally.

Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim has risen five places to return to the top 20 after his double-century in Mirpur while captain Mominul Haque has moved up five places to 39th after a score of 132.