By IANS
Dubai : New Test captain Anil Kumble is the highest ranked Indian bowler at the sixth spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings released Wednesday but no Indian batsman finds a place among the top 10.
Kumble is joined by New Zealand speedstar Shane Bond with 724 points in the list, which is headed by Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralidharan, who is now the highest wicket taker in Test.
South Africans dominate the bowlers’ rankings, with Makhaya Ntini in the second place (808 points) followed by Dale Steyn in the third spot (775 points).
Kumble’s mate Zaheer Khan is 12th with 668 points.
The Indian batting order boasts some big names, but none of them are in the top-10 rankings. Rahul Dravid is the highest ranked batsman at 11th place with 738 points. Both Sachin Tendulkar (670) and V.V.S. Laxman moved up one place to the 17th and the 19th places respectively.
Pakistan’s Younis Khan has plenty to for celebrate. Not only did he manage to keep the series against India alive by saving the second Test in Kolkata but he has moved up one place to the seventh spot in the batsmen’s list.
Australia’s Ricky Ponting still leads the Test batsmen. He faces serious pressure from South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and more so from Kumar Sangakkara, who occupies the third spot.
Test Rankings:
Batsmen:
1. Ricky Ponting (Australia) 936
2. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 935
3. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 919
4. Mohammed Yousuf (Pakistan) 885
5. Mike Hussey (Australia) 874
6. Kevin Pietersen (England) 872
7. Younis Khan (Pakistan) 816
8. Matthew Hayden (Australia) 803
9. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) 762
10. Michael Clarke (Australia)
Bowlers
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) 904
2. Makhaya Ntini (South Africa) 808
3. Dale Steyn (South Africa) 775
4. Stuart Clark (Australia) 769
5. Brett Lee (Australia) 726
6. Anil Kumble (India) and Shane Bond (New Zealand) 724
8. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan) and Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 701
10. Matthew Hoggard (England) 700
(Sixth and Eighth positions are jointly shared)
All-rounders:
1. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 551
2. Andrew Flintoff (England) 361
3. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 329
4. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) 316
5. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 256