Steve Smith, David Warner and Kane Williamson all have the potential to be top dog on the ICC’s Test batting rankings by the end of the trans-Tasman series.
The International Cricket Council announced its updated rankings on Wednesday, with New Zealand’s wonder child Williamson joining Australian skipper Smith in equal second spot.
Warner climbed two places and is ranked No.5.
AB de Villiers remains first with 899 points, however Smith (893), Williamson (893) and Warner (880) could all reel him in soon.
All three batsmen are hardly short of form as they prepare for the series final at Adelaide Oval, the inaugural day-night Test that starts on November 27.
Williamson posted centuries at the Gabba and WACA, while Warner backed up twin tons in the first Test with a knock of 253 in Perth.
Smith scored 138 in the second innings of the second Test, seeing off a spirited NZ fightback.
South Africa face India in the third match of their four-Test series in Nagpur later this month, when a couple of failures from de Villiers could spell the end of his time at the top of the rankings.
Ross Taylor, who scored 290 in Perth – the highest Test score by a foreigner in Australia – jumped seven places into 10th spot.
Mitchell Johnson ended his 73-Test career ranked ninth on the ICC’s bowling charts and fifth on the allrounder rankings.
ICC Test batting rankings
1 – AB de Villiers (899)
2 – Steve Smith, Kane Williamson (893)
4 – Joe Root (886)
5 – David Warner (880)
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