Date:30/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/30/stories/2008013056192100.htm

Sport - Cricket

Tendulkar rises to 12th

— Photo: AP

Sachin Tendulkar.

Dubai: Thanks to his sparkling form in the Test series against Australia, Sachin Tendulkar has risen to his highest Test rankings in two years and is just two spots outside the top-10 in the latest ICC batsmen’s chart.

Tendulkar’s two centuries and just a little less than 500 runs from four Tests Down Under has pushed him one place up to 12th in the rankings issued on Tuesday.

Comeback man, Virender Sehwag, who scored 63 and 151 in Adelaide, has also gained eight places and the swashbuckling opener is now at 24th in the batting rankings headed by Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka.

Sangakkara is ahead of South Africa’s Jacques Kallis in second place and Michael Hussey of Australia in third.

Ricky Ponting retains fourth spot, while Michael Clarke, who scored 118 in Adelaide, his sixth Test century, is 11th. Andrew Symonds fell three places and out of the top 20 to 21st position.

Among the bowlers, Australia pace bowler Brett Lee has achieved the highest rating of his career to date and is now in fourth position.

He is ahead of South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini and now has Ntini’s team-mate Dale Steyn and Australia’s Stuart Clark in his sights but a long way from Muttiah Muralitharan.

All-rounder Kumble

Meanwhile, India Test captain Anil Kumble retains his sixth spot among bowlers while progressing four places up among all-rounders to seventh, his highest career rating to date.

With Irfan Pathan currently occupying sixth place, India can boast two Test all-rounders in the top seven. — PTI