ICC Rankings: Kane Williamson overtakes Smith, Kohli as top Test batsman; Ajinkya Rahane enters Top 10

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson on Thursday overtook Australia’s Steven Smith and Indian captain Virat Kohli to become the number one Test batsman in the latest ICC rankings.

Williamson jumped from third to first after his Man of the Match effort leading the Black Caps to a memorable 101-run win against Pakistan while scoring a splendid 129 runs in the first innings and a rapid 21 in the second when New Zealand were trying to stretch the lead before declaring.

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Williamson described the feeling as “humbling” to overtake Smith, who was atop the ICC Test Rankings for 313 days in 2020, Kohli, who was sitting numero uno for 51 days. Smith dipped to third in the ICC rankings behind Kohli after registering scores of duck and eight in Australia’s second Test against India where Kohli was on paternity leave.

"They are incredible players of our generation," Williamson said as he arrived in Christchurch ahead of the second Pakistan Test which starts on Sunday.

"Those two players are the best so for me to sneak up perhaps in some way, is very surprising and humbling." 

All three of Williamson, Smith and Kohli were named in the ICC Team of the Decade while the Aussie was named the Male Test Player of the Decade. Kohli, on the other hand, was awarded Best ODI Player of the Decade. 

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Williamson, after achieving number one rank in ICC rankings, would be looking to guide New Zealand to another win against Pakistan in the second Test to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Meanwhile, India's Ajinkya Rahane jumped five places to be in the fifth spot after a sensational century in the Boxing Day Test vs Australia where he helped India to achieve an eight-wicket win to equalise the series 1-1. 

In the bowlers' list, Mitchell Starc entered top five, jumping two spot after his performance in the Test series against India. Ravichandran Ashwin continued to reap rewards for his good run of form as he now sits in the seventh spot in the list.