14 July,2014 06:54 PM IST | | IANS
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have dropped several places even as Joe Root has become England's highest-ranked Test batsman in the latest ICC rankings released on Monday
Dubai: Indian top order batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have dropped several places even as Joe Root has become England's highest-ranked Test batsman, after hitting his fourth century in the Trent Bridge match against India which ended in a draw on Sunday, in the latest ICC rankings released on Monday.
Cheteshwar Pujara
While Pujara slid a place to be ranked eighth, Kohli slipped three places to go out of the top-10 to be ranked No.13.However, opener Murali Vijay has shown upward movement. The 30-year-old from Chennai scored 146 and 52 and has jumped 12 places to 30th. He is now India's fourth highest-ranked batsman after Pujara (eighth), Kohli (13th) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (27th).
In the ICC rankings for Test bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of the biggest movers. Bhuvneshwar picked up 5/82 in England's only innings at Nottingham which has allowed him to break into the top-50 for the first time in his career. He now sits in 46th spot after jumping 27 places. Offie Ravichandran Ashwin, who was not part of the playing XI against England, has also thus dropped a place and is ranked No.8.
He, however, remained static in the all-rounders rakings, staying put at No.2.Joe Root, who scored a fine 154 not out and featured in a record 198-run 10th-wicket stand with James Anderson (81), against India, has been rewarded with a jump of 10 places in the ICC rankings which has put him in a career-high 16th position. The 23-year-old from Yorkshire had started the season in 38th and after three Tests, he has moved into 16th, gaining 22 places.
Ian Bell is England's second highest-ranked batsman in 20th while captain Alastair Cook is in 25th. Also making good progress are England's other young guns -- Gary Ballance and Sam Robson. Ballance, who scored 71, has gained 13 places and is now in 70th position while Robson's 59 has helped him rise 16 places to 78th. In the ICC rankings for Test bowlers, England's Stuart Broad is one of the biggest movers. Broad returned match figures of 4/103 which has helped him rise four places to 10th.
Meanwhile, the two-Test series between Sri Lanka and South Africa starts in Galle Wednesday with the tourists in with a chance to reclaim No.1 position in the ICC Test team standings. To regain the spot which South Africa lost to Australia after the annual update May 1, they need to win the series which will be enough to put Hashim Amla's men ahead of Michael Clarke's. In this scenario, South Africa will move one point ahead of Australia while a 2-0 series win will put the visitors on 126 points.
On the other hand, if Sri Lanka win the series, then they will leapfrog England into fifth position while a 2-0 win will mean they will finish ahead of Pakistan and England in fourth spot.The series will feature the top three batsmen in the world -- No.1 ranked AB de Villiers, second-ranked Kumar Sangakkara and third-ranked Hashim Amla -- and two of the three best bowlers -- No.1 ranked Dale Steyn and third-ranked Vernon Philander.
