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'Kuch na karke bhi kuch kro eat 5 star' - Fans react as Kane Williamson becomes No.1 Test batter despite not playing for past four months

Kane Williamson has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the latest Men’s Test batting rankings despite not playing for past four months.

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Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson (Source: Twitter)

Kane Williamson Kane Williamson (Source: Twitter)

Veteran New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the latest Men’s Test batting rankings, surprising everyone. Williamson last played red-ball cricket four months ago, but underwhelming performances by other batters have pushed him to the top spot.

England's Joe Root topped the rankings in the previous update following his century against Australia in the first Ashes Test. However, he failed to continue the momentum in the second Test and was therefore slipped to fifth place. While Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head have held their third and fourth positions, respectively, Steve Smith has risen to No. 3 following his stunning century in the first innings at Lord's.

The Australian vice-captain was given the Player of the Match award for his 110 off 184 balls, which helped Australia go 2-0 up in the five-match series. The ace batter is now on the verge of overtaking Williamson for the top slot, as he is only one point (882) behind the former NZ captain. Smith is expected to claim the No. 1 rank during the third Ashes Test at Headingley, which will also be his 100th appearance in the longer format.

Since the end of the World Test Championship final, the Test batting rankings have changed dramatically. Labuschagne, Smith and Head were in the top 3 batting rankings after the Oval win, but that all changed after the first Ashes Test. However, all of them are still in the top five, with Usman Khawaja also rising to seventh place after his century in the Edgbaston Test.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja remain at the top of the rankings

Coming to the bowling category, veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin remains on top with 860 points. Australian captain Pat Cummins has moved up two places to the second position in the bowlers' rankings after picking up three wickets in the second innings at Lord’s.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has moved up two places and is now 14th, while legendary England bowler James Anderson has lost two places after his not-so-impressive performance in the Ashes 2023. In the all-rounder's list, India's Ravindra Jadeja (434 points) retained his No. 1 spot.

Here's how fans reacted to Kane Williamson reclaiming No. 1 spot in the Test batting rankings:

New Zealand Kane Willaimson Steve Smith