Virat Kohli drops to 3rd spot in ICC Test Rankings for batsmen; Steve Smith sits at the top

New Delhi, March 8: India's star batsman and skipper Virat Kohli dropped by one spot in the latest ICC rankings for batsmen after managing to score just 40 runs in the first two matches against Australia.

Jadeja joins Ashwin at the top of ICC Test Bowlers Rankings

Kohli conceded the second rank to England's Joe Root, who is now one point ahead at 848 points. (Kohli blasts Australians for trying to cheat)

Kohli's Australian counterpart Steve Smith continued to rule the chart for 77 Tests, going past Ricky Ponting's 76 matches and now has the third longest stint at the top among Australians after Steve Waugh (94) and Don Bradman (93), said an ICC release.

India's middle order star Cheteshwar Pujara's innings of 17 and 92 have lifted him up five places to No.6 while Ajinkya Rahane has moved up two places to No.15 after scoring 17 and 52 in Bengaluru. Opening batsman Lokesh Rahul has gained 23 places to reach No.23 spot after scores of 90 and 51.

Meanwhile, the list of all-rounders also witnessed a change at the top as Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan moved ahead of Ashwin, who has scored only 20 runs in four innings against Australia so far. Ashwin had overtaken Shakib in December 2015.

In the team rankings, India's 75-run win in the second Test assured Kohli's brigade of the No.1 spot on the April 1 cut-off date and a cash prize of $1 million. The fight is now for the second, third and fourth places.

Here is the list of top 5 batsmen (as on March 8, after the second Test between India and Australia in Bengaluru)

Rank Player Team Points Avg Highest Rating

1. Steve Smith Aus 936 59.32 939 v Ind at Pune 2017

2. Joe Root Eng 848 52.80 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015

3. Virat Kohli Ind 847 49.90 895 v Ban at Hyderabad 2017

4. Kane Williamson NZ 823 50.07 893 v Aus at Perth 2015

5. David Warner Aus 794 48.27 880 v NZ at Perth 2015

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