ICC Test rankings: Pujara grabs third spot, Smith gets close to Bradman

India's middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara improved a place to grab the third spot in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings released yesterday. Pujara, who has scored 4,396 runs at an average of 52.96 in 54 Tests, currently has 873 points in the list of Test batsmen, headed by Australia captain Steven Smith, who continued to top the rankings for almost two years.

Cheteshwar Pujara

Steven wonder
Top-ranked Smith moved closer towards Sir Don Bradman's highest-ever ranking points after a match-winning double-century against England in Perth. The Australia captain's 239, which helped his team regain the Ashes by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead, has seen him reach a tally of 945 points to take joint second position in the all-time list along with Len Hutton.

Figured out
Smith is within 16 points of Bradman's tally of 961 points, has had a minimum of 918 points over the past 12 months, which is 25 more than what second-placed Virat Kohli's current total. Smith is already ahead of Bradman with regard to the number of Tests at the top.

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