Ben Stokes surpasses Jason Holder at ICC test rankings summit

England superstar Ben Stokes has surpassed West Indies captain Jason Holder as the world’s best test all-rounder according to the latest ICC rankings.

Stokes took three wickets while adding 254 runs in England’s series leveling test victory over the West Indies at Old Trafford. Stokes, who trailed Holder by 54 rating points going into the second test now enjoys a lead of 38 points after his valiant performance.

Ben Stokes the First English all-rounder to top the test rankings since 2006

Stokes is the first English all-rounder to top the rankings since Andrew Flintoff in May 2006. His tally of 497 points is the highest by any Test all-rounder since Jacques Kallis’ 517 in April 2008.

‘The sky is the limit for Stokes’

England captain Joe Root was full of praise for his superstar claiming everyone witnessing Stokes’ exploits is ‘witnessing greatness’.

“Everyone understands that we are watching a player at the peak of his powers at the peak of world cricket, who is delivering time and time again.” – Root told a virtual press conference.

“We have to savour that, appreciate that and we have to understand that we are, without wanting to pump his tyres too much, in the presence of greatness. He’s a genuine all-rounder player, something you don’t see much in world cricket.

“He’s someone you can genuinely turn to any time and he’ll change you a game. The sky is the limit for him. He seems to want to keep getting better and better and we’re seeing those results out on the field.”

Latest ICC test rankings

Test batting rankings:

1. Steve Smith (Australia) – 911 points.
2. Virat Kohli (India) – 886 points.
3. Ben Stokes (England) – 827 points
4. Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) – 827 points.
5. Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 812 points.

Test bowling rankings:

1. Pat Cummins (Australia) – 904 points.
2. Neil Wagner (New Zealand) – 843 points.
3. Jason Holder (West Indies) – 834 points.
4. Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 812 points.
5. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) – 802 points.

Test all-rounder rankings:

1. Ben Stokes (England) – 497 points.
2. Jason Holder (West Indies) – 459 points.
3. Ravindra Jadeja (India) – 397 points.
4. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 298 points.
5. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 281 points.

Is there anything Ben Stokes can’t do?

Ben Stokes?? pic.twitter.com/WzQQu8UaWc

— faceplatter49 (@faceplatter49) July 20, 2020

England and Stokes next turn their attention to the all important third and final test match against the West Indies at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester which gets underway on Friday the 24th of July 2020. The series is currently tied at 1-1.