Steve Smith breaks into top 3 in ICC Test Rankings for batsmen after Edgbaston heroics
Australia's Steve Smith has been rewarded for his sensational return to Test cricket as he broke into the top-three in the ICC Test Player Rankings for batsmen after his heroics at Edgbaston in their Ashes opener against England.
Smith scored twin centuries and was awarded the Man-of-the-Match award as Australia beat England by 251 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
His knocks of 144 and 142 helped Australia breach England's fortress and complete a sensational turnaround from Day 1, where they were reduced to 122/8. Courtesy of the knocks, Smith has once again gone past the 900-point mark. He now sits behind leader Virat Kohli (922) and Kane Williamson (913).
Smith started the series on fourth place with 857 points to his name.
Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins also made upward strides in the rankings for bowlers.
Lyon took nine wickets in the match and that took him six places above to 13th while Cummins consolidated his top position with seven wickets in the game. He now has career-best 898 rating points -- which is also the third-best for an Australia bowler in the past 50 years after Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
For England, Ben Foakes (69th) and Chris Woakes (70th) gained one and 11 points respectively in the list for batsmen. Rory Burns's knock of 133 in the first innings also helped him gain 25 places to a career-best 81.
Stuart Broad also gained two places to reach 16 after completing 100 Test wickets against Australia during the match while Woakes advanced four places to sit on 29 after picking up four wickets in the game. The all-rounder also went past Moeen Ali to reach ninth among all-rounders.
