The Australian captain Steve Smith has led the charge in the latest International Cricket Council player rankings for Test batsmen following the conclusion of the Boxing Day Tests.
The Australian captain Steve Smith has led the charge in the latest International Cricket Council player rankings for Test batsmen following the conclusion of the Boxing Day Tests.
New Zealand's Trent Boult appeals for a wicket. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Christchurch, while Australia and India in Melbourne and South Africa and West Indies Test in Port Elizabeth ended in draws.
Smith, who scored a Test-best 192 in the first innings, has gained two places to claim fifth spot for the first time in his career.
He now trails No.1 ranked AB de Villiers, who has regained the top spot from Kumar Sangakkara, by 40 ratings points.
The New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and Virat Kohli are the other batsmen inside the top 20 to make upward movements.
McCullum, who scored 195 in the win over Sri Lanka, has achieved a career-best 12th position by climbing two places.
Kohli's contributions of 169 and 54 have earned him four places and has put him in 15th place.
Also moving in the right direction was Australian opener Chris Rogers who jumped four places to No.24.
In the bowling rankings, Australia's Ryan Harris moved up two places to second following his six wickets at the MCG, while New Zealand's Trent Boult achieved a best-ever ranking of seventh after rising two places after snaring three for 25 and four for 100 against Sri Lanka.
Fellow Black Cap Tim Southee's also inside the top 10 at No.9.
Australia's Josh Hazlewood rocketed 16 spots to No.53 in the world while South Africa's Dale Steyn retained his No.1 ranking and is ahead of Harris by 54 ratings points.
Meanwhile, South Africa is just a draw away from retaining the ICC Test Championship title.
If South Africa draw the Cape Town Test and Australia win in Sydney, then the Proteas will finish three points aboved the Aussies on 122 ratings points.
However, if the West Indies beat South Africa and Australia win in Sydney, they will finish ahead of the Proteas by a fraction of a point (0.2).
The annual cutoff for the ICC Test Championship is April 1, 2015, but with the World Cup from 14 February to 29 March 2015, the current Test series are the last for the season.
ICC TOP FIVE BATSMEN
1 - AB de Villiers (South Africa)
2 - Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
3 - Hashim Amla (South Africa)
4 - Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
5 - Steve Smith (Australia)
ICC TOP FIVE BOWLERS
1 - Dale Steyn (South Africa)
2 - Ryan Harris (Australia)
3 - Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
4 - Vernon Philander (South Africa)
5 - Mitchell Johnson (Australia)