India batsman Virat Kohli is aiming for the number one spot in Test cricket. The batsman made substantial gains in the updated ICC rankings in the longest format of the game. The right-hander rose three spots and became the sixth-ranked hitter in the world.

Virat Kohli made breakthroughs after his heroics in the Test series against South Africa. After his 76 in the first Test at Centurion, he entered the Top 10, but his knock in the second Test at Cape Town secured him three places higher.

Virat Kohli scored 46 runs in the first innings and that innings helped him acquire the sixth place in the ICC rankings. The batsman looked in great touch and was possibly India’s best batsman in the series.

Virat Kohli will have a great chance to advance further up the rankings as India has a five-Test series against England. The two teams will play each other from January 25 to March 11.

Apart from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has also risen in the updated ICC rankings. The Indian captain is now the new No. 10 ranked batsman. The opening batsman moved up four places and entered the top 10 of the Test rankings.

Pakistani batsman Babar Azam, after a disappointing series in Australia, has dropped two places and is now at No. 8 in the rankings. The batsman scored only 126 runs in six innings and was one of the biggest disappointments for his team in the Test series.

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne also jumped three places to No. 4, while his teammate Usman Khawaja dropped four places to No. 9. The opener did not have the kind of series he would have wanted against Pakistan.

In terms of bowling-related Test match ratings, Ravichandran Ashwin maintained his first place with 863 ratings. While Jasprit Bumrah, after his 6-fer in Cape Town, jumped one place to claim fourth place. Ravindra Jadeja dropped one spot to number 5.

IND vs ENG: Virat Kohli returns to T20I format after 14 months gap

Virat Kohli will return to the Indian T20I team after 14 long months. He was recently named in the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, to be played from January 11-17.

Virat Kohli was last seen in T20I colors for India during the T20 World Cup 2022. However, since then he has focused only on ODIs and Tests. But now that the T20 World Cup 2024 is around the corner, the batsman is back in the setup and it could be a possible indication that he will be there for the team in the tournament.

The upcoming Afghanistan series will be crucial for Virat Kohli as he would be eager to assert his authority in the T20Is. All eyes will be on him when he takes the field. If he manages to set the stage on fire, there will be no doubt that he will make the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be played in the United States and the Caribbean.