ICC Test Rankings: Despite Bangladesh series win, Virat Kohli drops two places, Shreyas Iyer jumps ten spots up

• Image Credit: Sportskeeda

• Dec 28, 2022 | Poonam Nath

Virat Kohli, who battled to get going in the two-match Test series in Bangladesh, fell to No. 14 in the batting rankings...

Digital Desk: Former India captain Virat Kohli has dropped to 14th in the ICC Test Rankings following a string of bad performances in the recent Test series against Bangladesh. Kohli slipped two spots after scoring 45 runs in four innings of the Bangladesh Test series. 

Even though India won the series 2-0, Virat Kohli, a former No. 1 batsman, was tormented by Bangladesh spinners. Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das, who made a critical 73 in the second innings of the Mirpur Test, has taken Kohli's 12th position, moving up two spots on the ICC batting standings, which were updated on Wednesday.

The ICC Test Batting Rankings are listed below:

1. Marnus Labuschagne (Australia)

2. Babar Azam (Pakistan)

3. Steve Smith (Australia)

4. Travis Head (Australia)

5. Joe Root (England)

6. Rishabh Pant (India)

7. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

8. Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)

9. Rohit Sharma (India)

10. Usman Khawaja (Australia)

Kohli has struggled for form in Tests, scoring 265 runs in six Tests at an average of just over 25 in 2022. 

Shreyas Iyer, on the other side, surged 10 spots to No. 16 in the ICC Test Batting statistics, his career-high position. The middle-order batsman was outstanding in Bangladesh, amassing 202 runs in two Tests. 

Iyer, who led the team to victory in the second Test at Mirpur with an unbroken 71-run partnership with Ashwin, is gradually establishing himself as a vital member of the Test squad. He missed hundreds in both Tests, but he was an important component of the team's win.

Marnus Labuschagne of Australia continues to dominate the ICC Test Batting rankings. Rishabh Pant leads the Indian batter rankings at No. 6, while Rohit Sharma, who missed the Bangladesh Tests due to a finger injury, is rated ninth. 

Meanwhile, R Ashwin moved into joint fourth place in the bowling standings after taking 7 wickets in two Tests. Ashwin's heroics with the bat in the second innings of the Mirpur Test also helped him maintain his second-place status among all-rounders. 

Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the Bangladesh tour, remained the top all-rounder.

Umesh Yadav of India has climbed five positions to 33rd after completing with five wickets in the match. Pat Cummins remains the top bowler in the rankings. 

In addition to Litton, Mominul Haque (up five places to 68th), Zakir Hasan (up seven places to joint-70th), and Nurul Hasan (up five places to 93rd) have also climbed up the rankings. 

Spinners Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz have moved up two places to 28th and 29th, respectively, while captain Shakib Al Hasan has moved up one rank to 32nd. Taijul took four wickets in the first innings, while Mehidy and Shakib both finished with six wickets.