Rishabh Pant becomes India's highest-ranked Test batsman; breaks into top 10

Rishabh Pant is now India's highest-ranked Test batsman, according to the latest ICC Test Rankings.

Pant, who scored 203 runs in two innings in the recently-concluded fifth Test against England at Edgbaston, moved six spots up to No. 5. Pant's scores of 146 runs off just 111 balls in the first innings and 57 later in the game were not good enough for India as the visitors lost by seven wickets. The five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw.

The wicketkeeper-batsman has recorded two centuries and three fifties in his past six Test innings to earn his highest-ever position in Test batting rankings.

Virat Kohli, who scored 11 and 20 in the rescheduled fifth Test in Birmingham, slipped three spots and is now ranked No. 13 in the whites. India captain Rohit Sharma, who missed the Test due to covid, remained at No. 9. He was India's leading run-scorer when they played four Tests in England with 368 runs at an average of 52.57.

The in-form Jonny Bairstow climbed 11 places to No. 10 in the latest ICC Test Rankings. He was the Player of the Match for scoring twin centuries that helped England draw the series against India. Bairstow also had a fine run in England's recent home series against New Zealand, where he scored 394 runs in three Tests at an average of 78.80.

The 32-year-old is arguably in the finest form of his career with four tons in his past three Tests. Other than Joe Root, only Bairstow has scored over 1,000 runs in the current cycle of the World Test Championship. The Yorkshire batter has amassed 1,218 runs at an average of 55.36 with six centuries in the 2021-23 WTC.

With three centuries in the last four Tests for England, Root has scored three centuries and continues to remain at the top of the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. In the ongoing WTC cycle, Root has scored 1,744 runs in 16 Tests at an average of 64.59, including eight centuries and five fifties.

Among bowlers, James Anderson played his part to keep England in the contest in the recent Test against India with a five-wicket haul in the first innings and finishing the game with six scalps. He rose by a spot to No. 6 in the ICC Test Bowlers' Rankings.

Earlier it was reported that Team India were docked two points due for maintaining a slow overrate and as a result, they fell to No. 4 in the 2021-23 WTC Cycle.