The International Cricket Council (ICC) updated its rankings on Tuesday, January 9, with Indian superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma making big progress among the batsmen and pace duo Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj & Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood ensured Australia also secured first place. While both India and Australia won their Test matches in Cape Town and Sydney respectively, the players made a big leap forward, but Pakistan superstar Babar Azam dropped from the batting list.
Kohli, who was India's top run-getter in two intense Test matches played in Centurion and Cape Town, has moved up three places to 6th place, while Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who has made a good start, has moved up four places and shifted to the10th place.
With Rohit's comeback, the likes of Travis Head and Saud Shakeel, who did not perform well with the bat in the three-match Test series, dropped out of the top 10.
Babar Azam, who scored 41 points, the highest score in the entire series, also fell slightly in the rankings to 8th place. Other batsmen who have stepped up include Australia's Marnus Labuschagne, who moved up three places to number one after a few good knocks. Meanwhile, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan moved up 10 places with his half-century in Sydney and moved to tie for 16th place.
Among the bowlers, Indian speedster Mohammed Siraj scored a career-best 6/15 in the first innings of the second Test against South Africa, rising 13 places to 17th place, while Jasprit Bumrah, who took 12 wickets - to Tests series, moved up one place to fourth place.
Australia captain Pat Cummins sidelined South Africa's Kagiso Rabada from 2nd place with three consecutive five-wicket hauls in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test and the first innings at the SCG. Josh Hazlewood was also a big jumper in the bowler's section, going wild in the second innings after falling behind by four spots to move into seventh place alongside James Anderson.
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