Rahmat Shah becomes first Afghan batter in Test top 10 rankings
Afghanistan's ODI team also reached a record sixth place in the ICC's team rankings earlier this month.
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah has become the first player from his country to enter the top 10 in any category of the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Wednesday.
Rahmat climbed six spots to seventh among Test batters after scoring 173 in the opening match of Afghanistan's two-game series with Zimbabwe in Sharjah, a new career-high rating for the in-form right-hander.
The innings was the fifth Test century of the 33-year-old's career and his second this year, and it allowed him to move ahead of India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa opener Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka left-hander Kamindu Mendis.
The result comes after a strong fortnight for Afghanistan, which earlier this month rose to sixth on the ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings, its highest-ever position, following a tri-series triumph over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe veteran Craig Ervine also gained ground, jumping nine spots to 48th after an unbeaten double-century in the second innings of the drawn Sharjah Test.
The ICC World Test Championship series between Bangladesh and the West Indies also produced gains, with Kavem Hodge rising 12 places to 52nd, Towhid Hridoy moving from outside the top 100 to 60th and Amir Jangoo climbing 28 rungs to 62nd among Test batters.
West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican reached a new career-high rating among Test bowlers after rising 11 spots to equal 19th, following his Player of the Series performances for the Caribbean side.
He also moved up four places to 31st among Test all-rounders, while teammate Justin Greaves gained one place to equal eighth.
The latest ODI rankings also reflect the first two matches of the series between New Zealand and India.
India spinner Axar Patel rose 23 spots to 21st among ODI bowlers after taking 2/28 in the second match in Wellington, and fellow left-armer Arshdeep Singh climbed 11 slots to equal 31st after a four-wicket haul in the series opener in Auckland.
India pacer Gurnoor Brar, the leading wicket-taker of the series with seven scalps, moved from outside the top 100 to 48th among ODI bowlers.
New Zealand seamers Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson also made progress, rising to equal 43rd and 60th respectively.
The ICC updates its player rankings after each series, using a points system that rates batters, bowlers and all-rounders in Test and one-day international cricket.
