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Rediff.com  » Cricket » ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin is No 1 all-rounder!
This article was first published 9 years ago

ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin is No 1 all-rounder!

August 12, 2014 11:16 IST

Image: Ravichandran Ashwin of India bats
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Following his fine show with the bat in the fourth cricket Test against England in Manchester, India's Ravichandran Ashwin became the No 1 Test all-rounder in ICC rankings published on Monday.

Ashwin scored 40 and 46 not out at the Old Trafford though India lost the Test by an innings and 54 runs, but went wicket-less in his 14-over spell in England's first innings.

The Indian off-spinner, who now has 372 rating points, displaced South Africa's Vernon Philander (365) at the top of the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders.

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan was at third spot while Englishman Stuart Broad has moved ahead of Australia's Mitchell Johnson in fourth position.

- ...

- Coverage: India's tour of England

Sangakka rules the batsman's world

Image: Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara celebrates his double century
Photographs: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara regained the No 1 Test batsman spot following his 10th double century in Galle against Pakistan while India's Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli slipped down the ladder.

Sangakkara scored 221 and 21 in the Test, which earned him 31 ratings points that helped him dethrone AB de Villiers from the pedestal.

The South African had snatched the No 1 spot from his team-mate Hashim Amla in October 2013 and spent a total of 287 days and 33 Tests at the top.

Sangakkara had first surged to the top of the batting charts in December 2007 when he replaced Ricky Ponting, while he last claimed the top spot in November 2012 in Galle before Australia's Michael Clarke dislodged him following his 230 against South Africa in the Adelaide Test.

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Mahela will hope to end career with higher rank

Image: Mahela Jayawardena of Sri Lanka
Photographs: Dave Thompson/Getty Images

Sangakkara has now spent a total of 81 Tests and 671 days as the top-ranked Test batsman. ICC Hall of Famer Garry Sobers holds the record for the most Tests (189) spent as No 1 while Viv Richards is second with 179 Tests.

Mahela Jayawardena, playing his last Test series, has retained 14th position following his contributions of 59 and 26, but will seek to make his farewell Test a memorable one, which can potentially help him end higher on the rankings table.

Pujara lost two spots to go down to 12thspot though he remained the highest-ranking Indian while another struggling team-mate Kohli dropped five places to 20th.

- ...

Anderson in top-five

Image: James Anderson of England
Photographs: Stu Forster/Getty Images

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, England's win against India at Old Trafford by an innings and 54 runs has seen its bowlers charge up the rankings table.

James Anderson has climbed two places to grab fifth spot following his three for 46 and two for 18, while man of the match Stuart Broad has jumped four places to ninth spot following his figures of six for 25 in India's first innings.

Broad's movement now means England has two bowlers inside the top 10.

Moeen Ali's four for 39 in India's second innings has allowed him to jump four places to a career-high 33rd spot.

Ashwin remained the highest-ranking Indian bowler though he fell a rung to be at 13th while Pragyan Ojha and Ishant Sharma are at 15th and 20th respectively.

- Kohli the walking wicket for Anderson