India captain Virat Kohli two points away from No 1 ranking among Test batsmen

Star batsman has a chance to overtake Australia's Steve Smith in third Test against South Africa

India's cricket team captain Virat Kohli rises his bat as he leaves the field after declearing their first innings during the second day of the second Test cricket match between India and South Africa at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on October 11, 2019. IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE
/ AFP / Punit PARANJPE / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

India batsman Virat Kohli is one point behind Steve Smith in the ICC Test ranking for batsmen. AFP

Oct 15, 2019

India batsman Virat Kohli has moved to within one point of No1-ranked Test batsman Steve Smith following his epic double century in the second Test against South Africa.

Kohli scored an unbeaten 254 in the Pune Test to help India take an unassailable 2-0 lead. It was India's 11th successive Test series win at home, breaking the world record set by Australia.

Kohli was captaining India for the 50th time in Tests and celebrated the special occasion with his seventh double ton in five-day cricket.

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Australia batting heavyweight Smith currently holds the top ranking among batsmen in Test cricket with 937 points following a monumental Ashes campaign where he scored 774 runs in seven innings.

Kohli now has 936 points and is poised to overtake Smith in the third Test in Ranchi which begins on Saturday.

In the Test Championship race, India reached 200 points following their win in the second Test, which was their fourth in a row.