ICC Test Rankings: Pujara, Kohli slip

Cheteshwar Pujara slipped a couple of rungs to 10th but remains the best-placed Indian batsman, while the off-colour Virat Kohli dropped a spot to 15th in the latest ICC Test rankings, issued on Friday.

India lost the third Test in Southampton by 266 runs, allowing England level the five-match series 1-1.

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The crushing defeat reflected in the ICC rankings as well, and the only positive news for the team's batsmen was the improvement in Ajinkya Rahane's standing.

The middle-order batsman scored 54 and 52 not out to rise nine places to a career-best 26th.

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The bowlers were slightly better off, with Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar improving their rankings.

After gaining three places, Jadeja is now 25th while Kumar is 32nd, up two.

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Elsewhere, Hashim Amla of South Africa returned to the top three, Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews achieved a career-best ranking and Ian Bell of England earned a place in the top 20.

Amla, who scored 139 not out and 25 in Colombo to inspire his side back to the No 1 Test ranking, earned 34 ratings points for the achievement, which helped him leapfrog Australia's David Warner and Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies into third place.

He now trails second-ranked Kumar Sangakkara by 11 ratings points, while AB de Villiers is atop the heap with 899 ratings points.

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South Africa's Dale Steyn leads the bowlers' rankings by a distance.

The 31-year-old fast bowler took four wickets in the Colombo Test and though he dropped three ratings points, he still leads his closest rival Ryan Harris of Australia by 33 ratings points.

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There is no change in the top five of the rankings for Test all-rounders, with South Africa's Vernon Philander leading Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh by one ratings point.