Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli drop in ICC Test rankings

Cheteshwar Pujara

Dubai: Cheteshwar Pujara slipped a couple of rungs to 10th but remained the best-placed Indian batsman, while the off-colour Virat Kohli dropped one spot to 15th in the latest ICC Test rankings issued today. India lost the third Test in Southampton by 266 runs, which helped England to make it 1-1 in the five-match series.

Cheteshwar Pujara. Pic/ AFP

The crushing loss reflected in the ICC rankings as well and the only positive news for the team's batsmen was the improvement in Ajinkya Rahane's standing. The middle-order batsman scored 54 and 52 not out to rise nine places to a career-best 26th position.

The bowlers were, however, slightly better off with Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar improving their rankings. After gaining three places, Jadeja is now 25th while Kumar is now in 32nd after rising two places.

Elsewhere, Hashim Amla of South Africa has returned to the top three, Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews has achieved a career-best ranking and Ian Bell of England has earned a place in the top 20. Amla, who scored 139 not out and 25 in Colombo to inspire his side back to the number-one Test ranking, has earned 34 ratings points for his achievement, which has help him leapfrog Australia's David Warner and Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies into third position. He now trails second-ranked Kumar Sangakkara by 11 ratings points, while AB de Villiers is sitting on top of the tree on 899 ratings points.

South Africa's Dale Steyn leads the bowlers' rankings by a distance. The 31-year-old fast bowler took four wickets in the Colombo Test and though he has dropped three ratings points, he still leads his closest rival Ryan Harris of Australia by 33 ratings points. There is no change in the top five of the rankings for Test all-rounders with South Africa's Vernon Philander leading Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh by one ratings point.