Virat Kohli closes in on Steve Smith in Test rankings

Virat Kohli, after scoring a match-defining double century in the Pune Test against South Africa, has significantly bridged the gap to Steve Smith, the top-ranked batsman in Test cricket, in the latest Test Player Rankings released by International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday.

Virat Kohli thanks to his highest Test knock of 254 not out in the just-concluded Test is now only one point adrift of Australia's star batsman. Kohli gained 37 points to reach 936 points. Virat Kohli's record Test innings not only helped India beat South Africa by an innings and 137 runs but also helped the clinch the three-Test series, with one match remaining.

The Indian skipper had lost his top spot in Test cricket to Smith after he had a sensational Ashes 2019 where he scored in excess of 700 runs in just seven innings.