Virat Kohli returns to top of ICC Test Ranking with display in India win over England
Kohli scored 97 and 103 in his two innings at Trent Bridge as the tourists beat England by 203 runs, securing the victory 17 balls into day five
VIRAT KOHLI returned to the top of the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen after scoring 200 as India beat England at Trent Bridge.
Kohli moved on to 937 rating points to take him eight points ahead of Australian Steve Smith.
The Indian captain had moved into the No1 spot when he scored a total of 200 in the first test at Edgbaston.
But scores of just 23 and 17 at Lord's, as England won by an innings and 159 runs, saw him slip down.
Kohli, though, scored 97 in his first innings and 103 in his second in Nottingham to help India to a comfortable 203-run victory, wrapped up just 17 balls into day five, and narrowed the series deficit to 2-1.
The Test proved bad news for Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Alastair Cook, though, as the England trio dropped to fifth, 11th and 18th respectively.
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Kohli is now just one point outside the all-time top ten, with Gary Sobers, Clyde Walcott, Viv Richards and Kumar Sangakkara all on 938.
Don Bradman leads the way on 961 points with Smith, Len Hutton, Jack Hobbs, Ricky Ponting and Peter May completing the list.
Although Kohli was named Player of the Match, it was arguably Hardik Pandya who impressed most of all at Trent Bridge.
His place in the side was under question ahead of the Test but took an impressive 5-28 in the first innings in just six overs, his maiden five-wicket haul before hitting a run-a-ball unbeaten 52 in India's second innings.
Pandya's performance saw him rise eight places to 51st in the batting rankings and 23 spots, also to 51st, in the bowling charts, with a career-high 340 points.
It also saw him rise to 17th in the all-rounder ranking, a jump of 27 positions.
Jasprit Bumrah's 5-85 in England's second innings moved his ranking up to 37th after just four Tests.
Although there were further successes for the tourists, it wasn't all bad news for the England team despite the heavy defeat.
Jos Buttler's maiden Test century saw him rise 22 places to 47th while Adil Rashid's display was rewarded with a rise into the top 50 for both all-rounders and bowlers.
