Markram enters top 10 in batting rankings

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Proteas opener Aiden Markram has sustained his surge towards the top during an amazing first year in Test cricket, making his way to ninth position among batsmen in the ICC Test player rankings.

The 23-year-old’s knocks of 152 and 37 not only contributed in South Africa’s massive 492 runs victory over Australia in Johannesburg for a 3-1 series win but have also helped him move up six places to ninth position in the latest rankings update, which also takes into account performances in the drawn second Test between New Zealand and England in Christchurch.

Markram, who led South Africa to victory in the U19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2014, has broken into the top 10 for the first time and is now among a select group of 10 cricketers led by Don Bradman who have scored 1,000 runs or more in their first 10 Tests.

Markram’s opening partner Dean Elgar too has advanced after scoring 100 runs in the Test including a knock of 81 in the second innings while captain Faf du Plessis (up five places to 17th) and Temba Bavuma (up 12 places to 39th) are the other South Africa batsmen to make significant gains.

For Australia, captain Tim Paine has moved up eight places to 53rd position while for England, captain Joe Root (up one place to third), wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (up three places to 13th) and Mark Stoneman (up 14 places to 64th) are the ones to progress.

Not surprisingly, South Africa fast bowlers ruling the roost in Johannesburg sees several of them making the latest rankings update a joyful one.

Pace bowler Vernon Philander’s player of the match effort of nine for 51 has lifted him six places to third rank, player of the series Kagiso Rabada remains at the top adding three points to take his tally to 902 while Morne Morkel has finished off on a high.

Batsmen (top 10)

Rank ( /-) Player Team Points Average Highest Rating
1 (-) Steve Smith Australia 929 61.37 947 v SA at Durban 2018
2 (-) Virat Kohli India 912 53.40 912 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
3 ( 1) Joe Root England 867 52.63 917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015
4 (-1) Kane Williamson New Zealand 847 50.35 893 v Aus at Perth 2015
5 (-) David Warner Australia 820 48.20 880 v NZ at Perth 2015
6 (-) AB de Villiers South Africa 813 50.66 935 v Aus Port Elizabeth 2014
7 (-) Cheteshwar Pujara India 810 50.51 888 v SL at Nagpur 2017
8 (-) Dean Elgar South Africa 784! 42.58 784 v Aus Johannesburg 2018
9 ( 6) Aiden Markram South Africa 759* 55.55 759 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
10 (-1) Azhar Ali Pakistan 755 46.62 787 v Aus at Melbourne 2016

 

Bowlers (top 10)

Rank ( /-) Player Team Points Average Highest Rating
1 (-) Kagiso Rabada South Africa 897 21.59 902 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2018
2 (-) James Anderson England 891 27.36 896 v Win at Lord’s 2017
3 ( 6) Vernon Philander South Africa 845 21.46 912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2018
4 (-1) Ravindra Jadeja India 844 23.73 899 v Aus at Ranchi 2017
5 (-1) Ravichandran Ashwin India 803 25.56 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016
6= (-) Morne Morkel South Africa 800! 27.66 800 v Aus at Johannesburg 2018
( 12) Pat Cummins Australia 800*! 23.81 800 v SA at Johannesburg 2018
8 (-1) Trent Boult New Zealand 795 27.84 825 v Eng at Lord’s 2015
9 (-) Rangana Herath Sri Lanka 777 28.18 867 v Zim at Harare 2016
10 (-2) Neil Wagner New Zealand 765 28.26 785 v Win at Wellington 2017

 

Aiden Markram ICC player rankings

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