Warner jumps to 5th in ICC rankings after heroics against South Africa
Dubai: Australian David Warner jumped to a career-best fifth spot after his batting exploits in his side's Test series victory against South Africa while India's Virat Kohli slipped two places to 10th in the latest Reliance ICC Rankings released on Thursday.
Warner, who slammed hundreds (135 and 145) in both innings of the series-deciding Cape Town Test, has moved up five places to be the highest-ranked Australia batsman, with his skipper Michael Clarke in ninth position being the only other in the top 10. The batting table is still headed by AB de Villiers, with Kumar Sangakkara in second place and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in third position. Kohli is also the lone Indian in the top 10 among batsmen.
In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Ryan Harris, who ended with a match haul of seven for 95 in Cape Town, has moved up two places to a best-ever second position. Harris has now moved ahead of Vernon Philander and teammate Mitchell Johnson.
Philander, who picked just one wicket in the Cape Town Test, is down a place to third, while Johnson has dropped down a place to fourth. The bowlers’ table is still headed by Dale Steyn.
Meanwhile, the only solace for South Africa from the Cape Town Test was in the fact that Philander has now become the number-one ranked all-rounder on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders.
Philander, who scored 37 and 51 not out in either innings, has moved up two places to top of the all-rounders' table, pushing India's Ravichandran Ashwin to second. Philander is now on 376 ratings points, just three ahead of Ashwin.
Meanwhile, Graeme Smith signed off on his impressive Test career in 16th place in the batting table.
Smith reached a career high of second position after his match-winning century against England in Johannesburg in January 2010. That was also when he achieved a best-ever 843 ratings points.
