Smith garners highest career-rating points in latest ICC rankings
Steven Smith's new tally of 939 rating points puts him at sixth in the all-time list of highest points, behind Don Bradman, Len Hutton, Jack Hobbs, Ricky Ponting and Peter May
ESPNcricinfo staff
26-Feb-2017
Steven Smith's fighting hundred against India saw him consolidate his position at the top of the ICC Rankings for Test Batsmen • AFP
Australia captain Steven Smith reached a career-high 939 points to extend his lead at the top of the ICC Rankings for Test Batsmen after the first Test between India and Australia. His new tally of 939 rating points puts him at sixth in the all-time list, behind Don Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs and Ricky Ponting (both 942) and Peter May (941). Smith surpassed Garry Sobers, Viv Richards and Kumar Sangakkara, who all had career-high ranking points of 938.
Smith, who struck crucial knocks of 27 and 109 in the Pune Test, has a 66-point lead over second-placed Virat Kohli and leads third-placed Joe Root by 91.
A strong outing for Josh Hazlewood - who went up to 860 points - moved him to joint-second in the rankings for Test bowlers with Ravindra Jadeja. R Ashwin remained at the top with 878 rating points.
Matt Renshaw's gutsy knocks of 68 and 31 saw him move by 18 places to 34, his career-best ranking, while Steve O'Keefe's career-best performance of 12 for 70 in the Pune Test saw him climb to a career-high ranking of 29.
Mitchell Starc, who struck a crucial first-innings half-century and took two wickets in Pune, moved three spots up to fourth in the rankings for Test allrounders, where Ashwin leads the pack as well.