KL Rahul gains 18 places in ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings

Dubai: India opener KL Rahul has made a huge gain of 18 slots to reach 31st position among batters in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings on Wednesday.

Rahul's Player of the Match effort helped India defeat South Africa by 113 runs in Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ICC World Test Championship series.

The India opener struck 123 in the first innings and was associated in an important 117-run opening partnership with Mayank Agrawal (60) as India became the first Asian team to win a Test match at the venue while gaining important points in the WTC points table.

While Mayank gained one place in the rankings for his contribution, Ajinkya Rahane moved up two places to take 25th spot in the latest updated chart.

Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are other Indians to move up the rankings. Bumrah gained three spots to now sit in ninth place after finishing with five wickets in the match while Shami’s eight wickets, including a five-for in the first innings, took him up two places to take 17th position.

For South Africa, captain and opener Dean Elgar progressed two spots to 14th position after a fighting 77 in the second innings while Temba Bavuma is up 16 places to 39th for his scores of 52 and 35 not out.

Kagiso Rabada, who grabbed seven scalps, advanced one place to sixth position while his fellow fast bowler Lungi Ngidi gained 16 slots and is 30th on the list after finishing with eight wickets in the match. Debutant left-arm fast bowler Marco Jensen entered the rankings in 97th position. (UNI)