ICC rankings – Harry Brook goes past Joe Root to become the top Test batter in the world

It’s a slender lead at the top for Brook, though, just one point, with Root doing his cause no harm with a 106 in the second innings of that second Test, which England won by 323 runs to go 2-0 up in the three-Test series. Indeed, how the two of them go in the third Test, starting December 14 in Hamilton, could well determine if Brook stays No. 1 or Root takes back his crown almost immediately.

Root had held the top spot since he went past Kane Williamson – currently No. 3 – in July this year. He has been the top batter in Test cricket nine times over his career.

Travis Head and Temba Bavuma move up

It has been a busy time for Test cricket on the whole, with Australia hosting India in a five-match series – of which two have been played so far – and South Africa beating Sri Lanka 2-0 at home earlier this week.

Bavuma, in fact, was named Player of the Series for his tally of 327 runs.

Competition for Jasprit Bumrah

Hazlewood missed the second Test, but Cummins’ seven wickets in the Test took him up from fifth to fourth past R Ashwin, while Rabada held on to his second spot – he has 856 points to Bumrah’s 890 – after picking up three wickets in Gqeberha.