Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane move up in ICC rankings for Test batsmen

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane moved up one place each in the latest ICC Test batsmen rankings. Pujara leapfrogged Babar Azam to jump to the 6th spot while Rahane moved from 9th to 8th place.

Virat Kohli continues to be the highest-ranked Indian player in the ICC Test batsman chart as he occupies the 4th spot on the table with 862 points. Kane Williamson is leading the race with a whopping 919 points. No other nation apart from India has three representatives in the top 10.

Another notable change in the ranking was Ben Stokes falling two spots lower to 10th place in the batsman's rankings. However, the right-arm bowler still tops the all rounder's chart. Stokes is all set to take part in the first two Tests against India starting on 5th February in Chennai.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane delivered for Team India in Australia

Ajinkya Rahane Scored 112 in Melbourne.

Both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane didn't have their best campaigns Down Under given their lofty standards. However, both players came up with vital knocks throughout the series when India needed them the most. Incidentally, Pujara and Rahane were the only two players from Team India who played all four Test matches.

Cheteshwar Pujara finished the series with 271 runs at an average of 33.88, which included three half-centuries. His dogged determination and ability to tire the Australian bowlers played a massive role in India's historic triumph. Pujara finished the series as India's second-highest runscorer behind Rishabh Pant, who played three matches in the series.

Ajinkya Rahane finished the series with 268 runs, which he scored at an average of 38.29. Rahane scored the all-important century in the Melbourne Test when Team Indian had their backs against the walls. This knock proved to be decisive as India won that game, giving them confidence for the rest of the series.

WATCH - Exclusive: Head Coach @RaviShastriOfc delivers a dressing room speech at Gabba.A special series win in Australia calls for a special speech from the Head Coach. Do not miss!Full 📽️📽️https://t.co/kSk2mbp309 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/Ga5AaMvkim

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 19, 2021