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Liton at his career-best Test ranking


Published : 12 Jan 2022 08:48 PM

Kyle Jamieson and Litton Das have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Test rankings following the drawn series between New Zealand and Bangladesh. South Africa captain Dean Elgar broke into the top 10 for the first time since January 2019. Also, Australia's Usman Khawaja re-entered the rankings after his twin tons in the men's Ashes.

Liton Das, whose 102 went in vain for the visitors in the second match, gained 17 places to No. 15. He ended the series with 196 runs. The other notable movers in the Test batting rankings were Mominul Haque (up eight places to 37th) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (up 21 places to 87th). Fast bowler Ebadot Hossain - who rattled New Zealand in the first Test with figures of 6 for 46 in the second innings - jumped 17 places to 88th.

Jamieson, after his eight wickets across two Tests against Bangladesh, advanced eight places to No. 3 and crossed the 825-rating point mark - only the fifth New Zealander to do so after Richard Hadlee (909 in November 1985), Neil Wagner (859 in December 2019), Tim Southee (839 in November 2021) and Trent Boult (825 in May 2015). Boult, himself, moved up three places to 12th after picking up nine wickets in the series.

Among New Zealand batters, stand-in captain Tom Latham, who scored 252 in the second Test, moved up two places to No.11 while Devon Conway, who hit centuries in both the Tests, advanced 18 places to No. 29. Ross Taylor ended his Test career at 28th, having attained a career-best fourth position and 871 rating points in December 2013.

Meanwhile, Elgar's match-winning knock of 96 not out in Johannesburg has taken him into the top 10. Duanne Olivier's four wickets in the second Test helped him re-enter the bowlers' list in 22nd place. India pacer Shardul Thakur also advanced 10 places to No. 42 after picking up eight wickets in the same game.

Khawaja's scores of 137 and 101 not out in the drawn fourth Test between Australia and England in Sydney meant he re-entered the Test batting rankings in the 26th position. Steven Smith has pipped Kane Williamson at No. 3, while the fast bowler Scott Boland's seven-wicket haul in the match saw him gain 24 positions to be ranked 49th in the bowling list. Cameron Green is another Australian player gaining in the rankings.

The latest rankings also see Ben Stokes (up nine places to 18th) and Jonny Bairstow (up 16 places to 55th) thriving among batters, while Stuart Broad (up two places to 14th) and Mark Wood (up three places to 41st) also made gains in the bowlers' list.