ICC RANKINGS RELEASED: VIRAT KOHLI LOSES NUMBER 1 SPOT; AJINKYA RAHANE MAKES MAJOR MOVE!

Australia star performer Steve Smith has surpassed Virat Kohli just by one point to reclaim his number 1 spot in MRF Tyres ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. He also has a chance to strengthen his position through the fourth Ashes Test starting Wednesday.

Smith was on the top since December 2015. But, after he got banned for one year in connection with ball-tampering, Kohli overtook him on the charts. The number 4 batsman has bought his way back up with his twin centuries in the first Ashes Test against England and 92 in the second helping him.

Earlier when the ICC Test Rankings were released Smith was 6 points behind Virat Kohli and fans and critics were already guessing that the positions would soon interchange.

As for the other Indian performers, post his half-century and hundred in Antigua, Ajinkya Rahane has gained 4 positions to number 7. Also, Hanuma Vihari – described by Kohli as “the find of the series” – has gained 40 positions to number 30.