Shane Warne Picks Top-5 Test Batters in Modern Day Cricket, Virat Kohli Not Included in Top Three

Warne also admitted that the India Test captain has ‘dropped down’ in recent times but he’s still good enough to make a cut in the top-five.

Delhi: Hailed as one of the finest spinners ever to play the game, Australia legend Shane Warne minced no words as he picked his top-five favourite batters in Test cricket currently. From Steve Smith to Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson to Joe Root – Warne made the revelations while commentating during the first Ashes Test between Australia and England at The Gabba in Brisbane. What’s surprising about the list? India Test skipper Kohli doesn’t feature in Warne’s top-3 Test batters in the world at the moment.

From Warne’s point of view – former Australia captain Steve Smith rules the roost when it comes to batting in Test cricket. “I’ve got Steve Smith. In all conditions and against all bowling attacking across all times, Smith is outstanding,” Warne said on Fox Cricket.

For the second spot, the 52-year-old Warner picked England captain Joe Root who remains on course to beat Mohammed Yousuf’s record for most runs in a calendar year. Root scored 89 in the second innings of the 1st Ashes Test, but the side faced a 9-wicket defeat in Brisbane. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson is at number 3 position. “Joe Root is number two. He has made 6 hundreds in this calendar year. Kane Williamson is always in thereabouts,” said Warne.

Warne believes keeping in mind the current form – India captain Kohli will occupy the fourth spot in his list of favourites. The former Australian spinner also admitted that Kohli has ‘dropped’ in his list, seemingly due to his lack of big scores over the past year.

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Kohli’s batting average of 26.80 since January 2020 is also way lowere than his Test career average of 50.65. The India captain has gone 58 innings without an international century. Kohli’s last international century came against Bangladesh, in India on November 2019.

Australia’s batting mainstay Marnus Labuschagne is the last entrant in Warne’s tip-5. South Africa-born Aussie cricketer made a stupendous impact in 2019 Ashes and continues to hold his middle-order spot in an above-average Aussie side.

Back to Test cricket ❤️ pic.twitter.com/IgjfuySCWK

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) December 2, 2021

“Virat Kohli has just dropped off a little bit, and then Marnus (Labuschagne) rounds up the top-5 for me,” said the Australian.

Kohli will next be seen during the three-match Test series against South Africa in Centurion, starting on Earlier this week, the BCCI announced that Kohli would be succeeded by Rohit Sharma as full-time captain in white-ball format. Kohli, however, will continue to lead the Indian cricket team in the Test format.