Proteas star Quinton de Kock has broken into the top 10 of the International Cricket Council’s rankings for Test batsmen.

De Kock moved from 11th to seventh position on the back of a fine century in the first Test against India last week. Proteas opener Dean Elgar, who also scored a ton in the series opener in Visakhapatnam, climbed from 20th to 15th position.

Elgar and De Kock became South Africa’s first centurions in Test cricket in India since 2010. The tourists lost the match, regardless, as India clinched an early lead in the three-match series.

Indian batsman Rohit Sharma, who opened the batting for the first time in Tests and scored two tons, claimed the Player of the Match award. He has jumped 36 positions to a career-high 17th.

In the ICC’s rankings for Test bowlers, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned to the top 10 on the back of a first-innings seven-for in Visakhapatnam. This was Ashwin’s first Test since December 2018.

Seamer Mohammed Shami, who took five wickets in the second innings in Visakhapatnamen, moved from 14th to 16th position.

The second Test will start at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday. The JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi will host the third and final Test from 19 October.

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