Rohit becomes third Indian to reach ICC top 10 in all three formats

Debutant opener Rohit Sharma, after his memorable performance throughout the South Africa tour of India Test series, has become the third India batsman to reach the top 10 in all three formats for the game.

In the recent ICC Test Player Rankings, Rohit emulated captain Virat Kohli and retired opener Gautam Gambhir as his knock of 212 in the third Test in Ranchi helped him advance 12 places to 10th position.

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Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who duly supported Rohit with his 116-run knock in Ranchi, helped him equal his career-high rank of fifth place, achieved earlier in November 2016. He remains the third-best Indian batsman in terms of Test rankings after Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Another batsman who aced his game in the recently concluded three-Test series against the Proteas, Mayank Agarwal has reached the 18th position.

Also read: Rohit slams maiden Test double ton, shatters Bradman’s record

With the series ending in a 3-0 whitewash in favour of India, the squad now has five batsmen finishing in the top 20.

Rohit’s player of the series effort of 529 runs helped him make huge strides from 44th place before the series. The ‘Hitman’ has held a career-high ranking of second in ODIs (in February 2018) and seventh in T20Is (November 2018).

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Kohli has been number one in all three formats while Gambhir has been at the top in Tests and T20Is and eighth in ODIs.

Fast bowlers Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav have ended the series with their highest-ever rating points tally. Shami is on 751 points and only one place below his career-best ranking of 14th achieved in March 2018, while Yadav is on 624 points, three below his best of 21st in July 2016.

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For South Africa, George Linde has started in 104th position among batsmen after scores of 37 and 27 and 99th among bowlers after finishing with four wickets.

(With inputs from agencies)