Jadeja tops Test all-rounder rankings after Mohali heroics

Ravindra Jadeja 

India’s Ravindra Jadeja has returned as the world’s number one-ranked all-rounder after his stand-out effort with bat and ball against Sri Lanka, the International Cricket Council said yesterday.   

Jadeja, a left-hand batsman and left-arm spinner, hit an unbeaten 175 and took a match tally of nine wickets as India hammered Sri Lanka inside three days on Sunday to lead the two-match series 1-0.   

 “It’s not the first time that the Indian spinner has topped the all-rounder rankings, and his move to the summit comes as little surprise after a stunning individual showing during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali,” the ICC said.   

The 33-year-old Jadeja overtook fellow Indian Ravichandran Ashwin and West Indies’ Jason Holder to top the table with 406 rating points.   
Holder, who is in action against England in Antigua, slipped to second in the rankings, with Ashwin third.   

Ashwin also had a memorable match as he overtook Indian great Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets to become the second-highest wicket-taker in India behind Anil Kumble (619 scalps).   
Bangladesh star Shakib Al-Hasan remains at fourth position while England’s Ben Stokes moves a place up to fifth above Mitchell Starc of Australia.   

In the batting chart, Virat Kohli moved into the top five after a 45 in the previous Test -- his 100th.   

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s 96 against Sri Lanka lifted him into the top ten among batters at the expense of Australia’s David Warner, who hit 68 in the first Pakistan Test that ended in a draw on Tuesday.   

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne remains the top-ranked Test batter in the world, and teammate Pat Cummins is the number one bowler.-AFP