Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli is struggling for form across formats. After a disappointing show against England in the rescheduled Test, Kohli has dropped out of top 10 for the first time in six years (2,053 days). The 33-year-old slipped three places and is now ranked 13th in newly-released International Cricket Council (ICC) Test batter's rankings.
While Kohli’s slump in form has led to his downfall, Rishabh Pant has jumped six places to achieve career-best rankings. After a century and half-century in the losing cause at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Pant is now fifth on the list.
The wicketkeeper-batter’s rise has also led to skipper Rohit Sharma slipping one spot to ninth. Rohit was ruled out of the last Test of the series after contracting Covid-19.
While Kohli’s wait for the international century continues, he could not get to the half-century mark against the Ben Stokes-led side. He registered scores of 11 and 20 in the Test. In the first innings, he got out to Matthew Potts trying to shoulder arms whereas Stokes bamboozled him to force an outside edge in the second.
Pant helped India recover from quick wickets on Day 1 with a record 146-run knock. He also shared a record-breaking partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to help India post a good total in the first innings. The southpaw followed it up with a half-century in the second innings.
Root's reign continues
Former England skipper Joe Root continued his dominance at the top. With 923 rating points, Root has entered the top 20 highest-rated batters of all-time on ICC rankings. Root scored a century in the fourth innings to help England pull off a record win to level the series.
Bairstow's huge leap
Root’s partner-in-crime Jonny Bairstow has entered the top 10 too and breathing down Rohit's neck with 742 rating points, just four short of the Indian skipper. Bairstow scored centuries in both innings to help England dominate and pull off record fourth consecutive successful run chase over 250. Bairstow has scored six Test centuries in the calendar year so far. Before the New Zealand series, he was ranked 47th.
