What to expect from captain Smith

Steve Smith has reclaimed the world No.1 ranking from England's Joe Root following the conclusion of the Pakistan-England Test series.

Root scored 4 and 6 as England were beaten by 127 runs in Sharjah for Pakistan to seal a 2-0 triumph that lifted the team to second on the world rankings.

It also saw Root plummet 27 ranking points to lose his grip on the world No.1 spot and slide to third behind AB de Villiers.

Smith, with 48 in the first innings against New Zealand at the Gabba – the lowest score among a prolific Australian top five – and De Villiers, who posted a half-century on a rank turner in Mohali, have the opportunity to extend their lead over Root in their respective ongoing series.

Smith and Root have been locked in a see-sawing battle for the World No.1 ranking for most of 2015. De Villiers has been a silent partner in that battle while South Africa were inactive in the Test match arena.

The ICC advised it will update the individual rankings again at the conclusion of the Brisbane and Mohali Tests, with Smith and De Villiers now locked in battle for top billing.

In the Test bowling rankings, England pace duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad and Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah all increased their ratings but still trail well behind South Africa's pace spearhead Dale Steyn.

Anderson and Shah are now jointly ranked second in the world on 846 points, behind Steyn's 905 but ahead of Broad on 840.

Anderson, with 4-17 and 2-52, rose 22 points while Shah earned 19 points after taking seven wickets in the match.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq retained his 10th position in the batting chart but of more importance to the cricket.com.au columnist would be his side's second position in the Test rankings.

Pakistan were last ranked so highly under Inzamam-ul-Haq in August 2006, immediately prior to losing a series in England.

Pakistan briefly were ranked No.1 under Imran Khan in 1988 and were the second-ranked side for much of the early 1990s.

Pakistan leapfrogged Australia with their 2-0 series win against England, but any series victory for Steve Smith's men will see the Baggy Green brigade reclaim second spot.

An Australian series win would also drop New Zealand to sixth below Ashes winners England with both teams separated by just 0.6 of a ranking point.

Batting Rankings (Source: ICC)

Bowling Rankings (Source: ICC)