ICC Test Batting Rankings: Virat Kohli Slips Out Of Top 20 After A Decade

Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli has fallen out of the top 20 in the Test batting rankings for the first time in ten years and now sits in 22nd place. The updated rankings were released the day after his 36th birthday on Wednesday. (More Cricket News)

This decline marks a remarkable moment in Kohli’s storied Test career, which has seen him dominate the traditional format and establish himself as one of India’s finest Test batters over the last decade.

The last time Kohli found himself outside the top 20 was in December 2014, following a challenging England tour where he struggled with the moving ball, averaging just 13.4 across five Tests.

However, Kohli bounced back to launch an impressive era of dominance, highlighted by his climb to the top of the ICC Test rankings in 2018. At his peak, Kohli became the first Indian to achieve the No. 1 ranking across all formats.

While Kohli recently crossed the 9000-run milestone in Tests, his current form has seen a significant dip. His struggles were particularly evident in the recent home series against New Zealand, where he managed only 93 runs across six innings, averaging 15.50 with a single half-century.

This underwhelming performance has caused his career average to slide below 48 for the first time since November 2016. His peak average in Test cricket was 55.10 which came in October 2019.

India captain Rohit Sharma also saw a dip in the rankings and is now positioned at 26th place. Meanwhile, the baton seems to have passed to younger Indian talents, with Yashasvi Jaiswal emerging as India’s highest-ranked batter at No. 4, followed by Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill in sixth and 16th places, respectively.

Among other notable performers, England’s Joe Root continues to lead the ICC Test batting rankings, followed by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Harry Brook.

In the bowling domain, South Africa's Kagiso Rabada remains the top-ranked bowler, while India’s Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja hold strong positions within the top 10.