Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has claimed the top spot of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen from India’s Virender Sehwag.
The 32-year-old’s contribution of 219 and 42 not out against India in the second Test at Colombo has seen him reclaim the top spot which he previously occupied in 2009. Sehwag has dropped to second after making 99 runs in the first innings but not batting in the second after the match ended a draw in Colombo on 30 July.
Meanwhile, India’s Sachin Tendulkar has climbed two places to take fourth position in the rankings after his impressive double century during the match.
Sangakkara’s team-mate Thilan Samaraweera has risen one place to 18th after scoring 76 not out and 10 not out, he has some work to do though if he is to climb back up to his previous highest ranking of 11th place. England’s Andrew Strauss has just managed to break into the top 20 after captaining his side to victory in the team’s first Test against Pakistan that concluded August 1.
Strauss’s team-mate Paul Collingwood has leapt five places to sit in 22nd while vice-captain Alastair Cook has slipped five places to 30th sitting one below India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
England’s Matt Prior has risen to 33rd while Pakistan captain Salman Butt has dropped two places to 34th and Umar Akmal has slipped another six places to occupy 46th position in the table.
England centurion Eoin Morgan has shot up the rankings to 51st position after his strong batting display with Collingwood at Trent Bridge. India’s Test debutant and centurion Suresh Raina has entered the rankings in 60th place after his knock of 120 against Sri Lanka.
In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, there is no change at the top of the table which is headed by South Africa’s Dale Steyn followed by Pakistan Mohammad Asif.
However England’s James Anderson has climbed four places to claim fifth place, just behind his team-mate Graeme Swann who is now only 14 ratings points ahead of the fast bowler. Anderson’s 11-74 sees him claim his highest ranking to date.
A disappointing Test match for Pakistan’s Danish Kaneria has seen the spinner drop six places to 21st; it is the first time Kaneria has been outside of the top 20 since 2003.
It is better news for Kaneria’s team-mate Mohammed Amir who has risen four places to 34th after completing the Test with figures of 4-76.
In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders, the table is still headed by South Africa’s Jacques Kallis with New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori in second place.
