Virat Kohli Achieves Rare Double In ICC Rankings; Jasprit Bumrah Takes Top Spot In Bowlers

Virat Kohli has been going hammer and tongs in the ODI format and its result has been reflected in the latest ICC ODI Rankings too. The Indian skipper now has over 900 points in Tests as well as ODIs to stand atop the rankings in both formats of the game. Kohli scored 558 runs in the recently concluded six-match series against South Africa. In another notable change, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has become the joint-top bowler in ODI rankings alongside Jasprit Bumrah. He has also entered the top-five among all-rounders.

Kohli is the second batsman after South Africa’s AB de Villiers to attain over 900 points concurrently in both forms of the game. He has also entered an exclusive list of five players to have breached the 900 points mark in both formats. The Indian skipper has thus moved ahead of former West Indies great Brian Lara in the all-timers’ list, having also overtaken him in the all-timers’ Test list in January. Kohli is now seventh in the ODI list of all-time rankings which is led by Vivian Richards with 935 points and the India captain is now 22 points clear of Sachin Tendulkar, whose ODI career high of 887 points came against Zimbabwe in January 1998. Kohli’s aggregate is the best since Lara reached 911 points in March 1993.

Among the bowlers, spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have been rewarded for a great series. Leg-spinner Chahal has moved up eight places to 21st position with 16 wickets in South Africa series while chinaman Yadav’s 17 scalps have helped him move up 15 positions to 47th position. Seamer Bumrah’s eight wickets have lifted him two places to the joint-first position.

Rashid picked 16 wickets in the series against Zimbabwe which Afghanistan won 4-1 to become the youngest player to attain top spot. Besides doing the job with the ball, Rashid also contributed with the bat with 51 runs in two innings in the series, including a brisk 43 in the final match in Sharjah on Monday which has helped him break into the top-five in the list of all-rounders.

Courtesy : indianexpress