Kohli finishes 2nd, Cook climbs to 8th spot in ICC Test rankings

Dubai [UAE], Dec 31 (ANI): India skipper Virat Kohli will finish the year with his unchanged second spot, trailing Australia captain Steve Smith, in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings.

In the rankings updated on Sunday, a magnificent unbeaten double-century in the Ashes by Australia's prolific batsman Alastair Cook saw him ending the year in the top 10.

The 33-year-old left-handed opener scored 244 in his side's first innings score of 491, which helped him to climb nine places to eighth position.

Cook had begun the year on the 15th position, while he had entered the Ashes on the 10th position.

Meanwhile, Steve Smith has not only strengthened his position at the top of the table, but has also taken the sole possession of the spot for the highest-ever ranking points.

Smith, who contributed 76 and unbeaten 102 in Melbourne, earned two points and is now just 14 points behind Don Bradman (961) and two points ahead of Len Hutton (945) in the all-time list.

England captain Joe Root is the other batsman to improve his ranking, when he moved up one place to join his opposite number from New Zealand, Kane Williamson, in fourth place. Root and Williamson had started 2017 on third and fourth positions, respectively.

Australia opener David Warner is sixth, 24 points behind Root and Williamson, after his scores of 103 and 86 earned him 30 points. Warner had started 2017 on the fifth position.

The list features substantial Indian players in the top 20 with Cheteshwar Pujara third, Lokesh Rahul 12th and Ajinkya Rahane ending the year on the 19th place.

In the rankings for Test bowlers, there is no change in the top nine with England's James Anderson leading the field.

India's Ravindra Jadeja pipped compatriot Ravichandran Ashwin to third place.

The only change in the top 10 is the return of South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel on the 10th position. It is for the first time in nearly two years that Morkel is within the top 10.

Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh is the number-one ranked al-rounder and he is followed by India's Ravindra Jadeja. (ANI)