Rabada, De Kock slip in ICC Test rankings

Cape Town – Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock have dropped in the latest ICC Test rankings after South Africa lost the second Test against England.

OPINION | Adriaan Basson: Little Britain – the day Newlands became
England’s home ground

The Proteas lost by 189 runs at Newlands on Tuesday and the two teams are now all square at 1-1 in their four-match Test series with two Tests remaining.

Rabada, who took 3/68 and 2/69 in the match, dropped one spot to No 4 on the ICC Test bowler rankings.

Proteas seamer Vernon Philander, who bid farewell to his home ground after announcing his retirement, slipped five places to lie eighth.

De Kock dropped out of the Top 10 batsmen rankings and is currently 12th after scoring 20 and 50 in Cape Town.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was named man of the match, made it into the Top 10 batting rankings after scores of 47 and 72.

Opener Dean Elgar (up three places to 19th) among the batsmen and Anrich Nortje (up 34 places to 62nd) in the bowling charts were the notable gainers for South Africa.

The third Test is scheduled to start on Thursday, January 16 at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, South African-born Australian opening batsman Marnus Labuschagne moved up one spot (to third) in the ICC batsmen rankings following his 215 and 59 against New Zealand at the Sydney Test.

There are now three Australian batsman in the top five rankings with Steve Smith at No 2 and David Warner at No 5.

ICC Test rankings:

Batsmen

1. Virat Kohli (IND) – 928

2. Steve Smith (AUS) – 911

3. Marcus Labuschagne (AUS) – 827

4. Kane Williamson (NZ) – 814

5. David Warner (AUS) – 793

6. Cheteshwar Pujara (IND) – 791

7. Babar Azam (PAK) – 767

8. Joe Root (ENG) – 761

9. Ajinkya Rahane (IND) – 759