Yashasvi gains big in ICC Test rankings

India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal continues his rise in the Test rankings after scoring an unbeaten 214 in the third Test against England in Rajkot as he jumped 14 places to be placed 15th position on the updated rankings for Test batters, released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday. The 22-year-old left-hander, who joined a select band of seven cricketers to score double centuries in two consecutive Tests including two Indians — Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli, also attained a new career-high rating of 699. Captain Rohit Sharma has moved up one spot to 12th position after also notching a century in the first innings while Shubman Gill has progressed three places to 35th after coming close to a century in the second innings. Debutants Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel have entered the rankings in 75th and 100th positions, respectively. Player of the Match in Rajkot Ravindra Jadeja’s knock of 112 in the first innings has taken him from 41st to 34th position among batters. He has also consolidated his position at the top of the all-rounders’ rankings, going from 416 to a career-best 469 rating points. Jadeja scored a century and claimed seven wickets for the match in that emphatic Test victory and moved to a new career-high rating while maintaining his place as the No.1 ranked all-rounder in Test cricket. Meanwhile, Kane Wiliamson has strengthened his position at the top of the batting rankings after notching a century against South Africa, his seventh in seven Tests. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slides closer to Indian teammate Jasprit Bumrah at the top of the Test bowling rankings courtesy of a one-place jump to second after he went past 500 Test wickets, while Jadeja jumped three places to sixth on the same list following his five-wicket haul in England’s second innings in Rajkot. England opener Ben Duckett’s quickfire 153 in the first innings has lifted him 12 places to 13th position. @@@