Cricket: Kagiso Rabada reclaims top spot in Test rankings

Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada has replaced England paceman James Anderson at the top of ICC Test Bowling Rankings.

Anderson sat out England’s last Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, thus losing rating points, and was usurped by the 23-year-old who last played in the longest format away to the same opposition in July.

Rabada’s countryman and new-ball partner Vernon Philander is fourth on the list, behind Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas, while Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja rings up the top five.

Pakistani leg-spinner Yassir Shah returns to the top 10 following his 14-wicket haul against New Zealand in Dubai.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj is the only other South Africa in the top 20 at 18th place, as former world number one Dale Steyn has dropped down to 23rd, having played just three Test matches in the last two years.

Among the batsmen, Indian captain Virat Kohli continues to rule the roost, while disgraced Australian pair Steve Smith and David Warner continue to occupy the top five – at second and fifth respectively – despite being more than halfway through their year-long bans.

The top five is completed by England captain Joe Root (3) and his New Zealand counterpart Kane Williamson (4), and South Africa’s opening duo Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram are the highest ranked Proteas at eighth and ninth.

Hashim Amla (14) and skipper Faf du Plessis (15) are the only other Proteas in the top 20.

ICC Test Rankings

Batting

1 Virat Kohli (IND)
2 Steve Smith (AUS)
3 Kane Williamson (NZL)
4 Joe Root (ENG)
5 David Warner (AUS)
6 Cheteshwar Pujara (IND)
7 Dimuth Karunaratne (SL)
8 Dean Elgar (RSA)
9 Aiden Markram (RSA)
10 Usman Khawaja (AUS)

Bowling

1 Kagiso Rabada (RSA)
2 James Anderson (ENG)
3 Mohammad Abbas (PAK)
4 Vernon Philander (RSA)
5 Ravindra Jadeja (IND)
6 Pat Cummins (AUS)
7 Ravichandran Ashwin (IND)
8 Trent Boult (NZL)
9 Jason Holder (WI)
10 Yasir Shah (PAK)