Press Release
Steven Smith finishes the Ashes as number-one ranked batsman
MUMBAI: Steven Smith has reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen which were released following the conclusion of The Oval and P.Sara Oval Tests.
The incoming Australia captain started the Ashes series at the top of the rankings on 913 points, but had lost his place to England’s Joe Root after the Trent Bridge Test. However, after scoring 143 in his side’s an innings and 46 runs victory at the The Oval, the 26-year-old has overtaken second-placed AB de Villiers, as well as Root, who has dropped to third following scores of six and 11.
Root had started the series in seventh place on 815 points and has gained 74 points and four places over the course of the series.
There was further good news for David Warner who has moved up two places to ninth after scoring 85, while Chris Rogers concluded his career in 10th place (after climbing 13 places since the start of the series) as the second-highest left-handed batsmen in the rankings behind another illustrious retiree Kumar Sangakkara, who finished his career in seventh spot.
Sangakkara, who scored 32 and 18 in Sri Lanka’s 278 runs defeat at the P.Sara Oval, first reached number-one in the Test batting rankings in December 2007 against England after innings of 92 and 152 in Kandy.
Sangakkara spent a total of 97 Tests and 812 days as the top-ranked Test batsman in the world and was last number-one in December 2014, before losing the top spot to de Villiers. His highest-ever points tally was 938, achieved on 1 December 2007, and that total is the highest-ever achieved by a Sri Lanka batsman to date and the joint sixth-highest of all-time.
Meanwhile, Michael Clarke has finished his 115-Test career in 25th spot. Clarke surged to the top of the rankings in August 2009 and did so for the last time in February 2013. During this period, he topped the batting rankings on several occasions (totaling 11 Tests and 70 days).
Clarke is one of the 30 internationals, including eight Australia batmen, to reach 900 points, which was incidentally his highest points tally that was achieved after the 2012 Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka.
As an Australia captain, the 34-year-old from Sydney led his team to the top of the ICC Test Team Rankings from May 2011 to July 2014.
The other big movers in the latest batting rankings are India’s Ajinkya Rahane (up two places to a career-high 20th), Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne (up two to 34th) and England’s Moeen Ali (up two to a career-high 48th), while there were also notable career-high gains for Adam Voges (up 21 to 53rd), and India team-mates Lokesh Rahul (up 30 places to 87th) and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (up 15 places to 100th).
In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Australia’s Mitchell Johnson has climbed two places to sixth after recording match figures of four for 86 runs in London, while Ravichandran Ashwin’s match tally of seven for 118 in Colombo has helped the off-spinner overtake Rangana Herath into eighth place on 769 points, one point behind South Africa’s Vernon Philander.
Arising from the conclusion of the fifth Ashes Test, there were gains for Peter Siddle (up three places to 14th) and Nathan Lyon (up two to 16th), while the highest England movers again were Moeen (up four places to 30th) and Ben Stokes (up one place to a career-high 41st). Mitchell Marsh has rocketed 36 places to a career-high 71st place.
Meanwhile, there were career-high gains for Sri Lanka duo of Dhammika Prasad, whose six for 125 runs in Colombo has helped him move up four places to 25th, while his team-mate Tharindu Kaushal has moved up one place to 59th.
The biggest mover in the bowling rankings, though, was India leg-spinner Amit Mishra whose match haul of seven for 72 has helped him move up 42 places to a career-high 39th.
Ashwin has also gained ground on Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan in the ICC Player Rankings for Test All-rounders and has reduced the deficit on the leader to 43 points.
The deciding third and final Test between Sri Lanka and India starts at Colombo on Friday. If India wins the series 2-1, it will overtake New Zealand and move into fifth place. However, a Sri Lanka series victory would see it progress to 96 points and overtake India into sixth place. In the event of a 1-1 tied series, Virat Kohli’s side would remain in sixth place, four points clear of Mathews’ men.
Bali is full of memorable moments, and some of them involve animals. Temple monkeys tug at bags, beach dogs nap near sunbeds, and cats wander into cafés like they own the place. Most interactions are harmless, but a bite or scratch can change the day quickly, because you may need immediate medical care and follow-up treatment. This is where Bali travel insurance becomes more than a box to tick.
In this article, you will explore whether animal bite treatment is insured, the exclusions, and the steps to claim easily in Bali.
Why Animal Bites in Bali Need Special Attention
Bites are not only about the visible wound. Insurers and doctors both treat them as medical events that can pose an infection risk, especially when the bite breaks the skin.
A scratch that looks small in the moment can still lead to:
● A doctor’s examination and wound cleaning
● Medicines and dressings
● Follow-up consultations if the doctor advises observation or further care
From an insurance perspective, this matters because claims are usually assessed on medical necessity and documentation, not on how dramatic the injury appears in a photo.
How International Travel Insurance Looks at an Animal Bite
Most travel policies are built around emergency medical expenses for unexpected illness or accidental injury abroad. A bite or scratch usually fits the accidental injury bucket, but coverage is rarely blanket.
In many plans, the following may be considered if a doctor prescribes them and bills and medical notes support them:
● Consultation and outpatient treatment
● Emergency care and procedures, such as wound dressing or stitches, if clinically required
● Prescribed medicines and investigations
● Hospitalisation if the treating doctor confirms it is needed
Common Reasons Claims Get Reduced or Rejected
This is the part travellers often miss. Insurers usually do not deny claims because an animal was involved. Claims become difficult when the event looks avoidable, the reporting is delayed, or the paperwork is weak.
Avoidable-Risk Situations Insurers Scrutinise
Policies commonly exclude or limit claims linked to unsafe conduct or preventable exposure. For animal bites, scrutiny may increase if the incident appears connected to:
● Provoking, feeding, or trying to handle wild animals
● Ignoring warning signs at tourist spots
● Being intoxicated at the time of the incident
● Activities that a policy lists as excluded or restricted
The takeaway is simple: if your own description sounds like a risky choice rather than a sudden accident, the insurer may challenge it.
Delays, Missing Papers, and Policy Conditions
Even when your incident is genuinely accidental, claims can still stall due to basics such as:
● Not informing the insurer or assistance partner within the required time
● Missing itemised bills, prescriptions, or clinical notes
● No proof of travel dates or passport entry details when requested
● Submitting only pharmacy slips without a doctor’s consultation record
International travel insurance is paperwork-driven. If you document it well, you reduce the chance of avoidable back-and-forth.
What to Do If You Are Bitten or Scratched in Bali
Your health comes first, always. But a few sensible steps can protect your recovery and keep your insurance file clean.
Medical Steps That Help You and Your Claim
Act fast, stay calm, and get proper care before worrying about bills.
● Clean the wound promptly and seek medical care, even if it seems minor
● Follow the doctor’s advice, including follow-ups if recommended
● Avoid self-medicating in place of a clinical assessment, because insurers often ask for a doctor’s report
Claim Notes and Documents to Collect
Keep these handy; they’ll save time and avoid follow-up questions later.
● Doctor’s notes that mention the nature of injury, treatment given, and advised next steps
● Prescriptions and pharmacy invoices
● Itemised hospital or clinic bills
● A brief written note of where and when it happened, while it is still fresh in your mind
Final Word
Animal bites in Bali are not rare, and they are not always dramatic, which is exactly why travellers underestimate them. Many travel policies can cover bite-related medical treatment when it is accidental and medically necessary, but the outcome depends on your policy terms and the quality of your documentation. If you buy cover thoughtfully, keep the assistance number handy, and respond sensibly if an incident happens, you give yourself the best chance of both good medical care and a smoother claim experience.
