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Hussey
takes over as number-one Test batsman
Australia’s
Michael Hussey has returned to the top of the Reliance
Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after he
scored 177 runs in the first Test against India at Bangalore,
including a knock of 146 in the first innings.
Hussey (33) was placed third before this match, just
behind Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and the ICC Cricketer
of the Year 2008 Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West
Indies. But his efforts in Banglalore have put him back
on top, a position he held for a short time earlier
this year during his side’s tour of the Caribbean.
Hussey’s team-mate Ricky Ponting stays in fourth
spot in the rankings despite scoring his maiden Test
century in India. However, that innings has piled the
pressure on those above the Australia captain and means
that it is a very close battle with just 19 rating points
separating the top five batsmen in the world.
It isn’t all good news for the batsmen though with
Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke and Rahul Dravid all
slipping two places. Hayden now lies in ninth spot with
Clarke further back in 15th position and Dravid managing
to stay in the top 20 in 18th.
VVS Laxman gains one place to 14th position but Virender
Sehwag falls back one spot to 11th and Sachin Tendulkar
drops back another place to 24th.
Things look better for man of the match Zaheer Khan
who has gained no fewer than seven places in the Reliance
Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers. The 30-year-old
took six wickets in the match, including 5-96 in the
first innings. He now sits in 11th spot in the rankings.
Anil Kumble is not so fortunate as he has lost eight
places in the bowling rankings, plummeting from 10th
position to 18th. The India captain bowled 51 overs
in the match without picking up a wicket.
Australia’s Mitchell Johnson is another big mover
among the bowlers, gaining six places to 34th spot after
a good game for the 26-year-old Queenslander in which
he claimed five wickets.
India pacer Ishant Sharma also proved to be a tricky
customer in Bangalore and has gained a place on the
rankings for each of the seven wickets he took in the
match. He now sits in 40th position and ready to make
an assault on the top end of the ladder during the rest
of the series.
That ladder is still led by Muttiah Muralidaran of Sri
Lanka, followed closely by Stuart Clark of Australia
and South Africa’s Dale Steyn.
Meanwhile, Brett Lee has moved up one place to seventh
in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test
all-rounders. The list is headed by South Africa’s
Jacques Kallis followed in second position by Black
Caps’ captain Daniel Vettori.
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