ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli retains top spot, Marnus Labuschagne and Babar Azam make giant strides

ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli tops the chart with 928 rating points while his Aussie rival Steve Smith continues to hog the second spot with 911 rating points.

India skipper Virat Kohli retained top spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings for batsmen while Australia sensation Marnus Labuschagne and Pakistan captain Babar Azam moved up quiet a few places. The two batsmen have been in good form recently in their respective series and have been rewarded in the latest ranking list.

File image of India skipper Virat Kohli. (PTI)

Kohli tops the chart with 928 rating points while his Aussie rival Steve Smith continues to hog the second spot with 911 rating points. Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson comes a distant third (864) followed by Cheteshwar Pujara at number four (791).

The latest entrant in the top five is Labuschagne who slammed a majestic century in the recently-concluded Day-Night Test against New Zealand. The 25-year-old has been in sensational form recently as in his last three Tests, he has scores of 185 (vs Pakistan in Brisbane), 162 (vs Pakistan in Adelaide) and 143 (vs New Zealand in Perth).

As for Babar Azam, he moved four places to enter the top 10 and currently is placed at the number nine spot. His Sri Lankan counterpart Dimuth Karunaratne — who led the Islanders in the historic Test in Rawalpindi — takes up the 10th spot in this illustrious list.