By IANS,
Dubai : Sachin Tendulkar’s disappointing performance in Sri Lanka has cost him dear. The master-blaster is out of the top-20 bracket in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen.
Tendulkar, who started the series in 13th position, is now 23rd after scoring only 95 runs in the three-match Test series which India lost 2-1. He drops six places after scores of six and 14 in the third and final Test which Sri Lanka won by eight wickets to clinch the series.
It is his lowest ranking since 1992 after spending over 15 years in the top-20 apart from a very brief spell at the end of 2006.
Tendulkar, who is just 76 runs short of becoming the leading run-getter in Test cricket, last occupied the top batting position six years back after the 2002 Headingley Test in England.
Tendulkar’s drop is the only bad news for Indian batsmen as others have made upward progress.
Virender Sehwag has become the highest-ranked Indian batsman after returning to the top 10 for the first time since March 2006. Sehwag, who scored an impressive 344 runs in the series, has moved one place to 10th.
Despite an unimpressive show, VVS Laxman has climbed three places to 15th while Rahul Dravid moved up two places to shared 16th place with England’s Alastair Cook.
Sourav Ganguly’s rankings has gone up by one place to 25th. Opener Gautam Gambhir, who was the second leading run-getter for his side with 310 runs, is 37th after a jump of 12 places.
For Sri Lanka, Kumar Sangakkara has just missed out on reclaiming the top slot from the West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Sangakkara, who dropped to fifth after the second Test at Galle, has jumped to second position after hitting 144.
Sri Lanka’s bowling sensation Ajanta Mendis has jumped to 30th position after making a highly successful Test debut. Mendis took 26 wickets.
Muttiah Muralidaran is still on top of the bowling chart, leading second-placed Australia fast bowler Stuart Clark and third-placed Dale Steyn of South Africa by a comfortable margin.
Top-10 Reliance Mobile ICC Rankings for Test batsmen
Player Country Points
Shivnaraine Chanderpaul WI 890
Kumar Sangakkara SL 886
Mike Hussey Aus 882
Ricky Ponting Aus 880
Mohd Yousuf Pak 880
Mahela Jayawardena SL 837
Matthew Hayden Aus 834
Kevin Pietersen Eng 829
Younus Khan Pak 799
Virender Sehwag Ind 786
Top-10 rankings for bowlers
Muttiah Muralitharan SL 895
Stuart Clark Aus 863
Dale Steyn SA 847
Brett Lee Aus 793
Makhaya Ntini SA 760
Ryan Sidebottom Eng 738
Chaminda Vaas SL 684
Shoaib Akhtar Pak 684
Shane Bond NZ 668
Anil Kumble Ind 653