Run riot in Kolkata helps Jaffer, Sachin, Ganguly, Laxman climb up

Dubai, Dec 5 (UNI) The draw notwithstanding, the run riot in the second Test against Pakistan in Kolkata has helped the Indian quartet of Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman to climb up in the latest ICC batsmen's rankings.

Double century in the first and a half century in the second has helped opener Wasim Jaffer climb up by a whopping 17 places to his career-best ranking of 23rd from 40th.

Ganguly, who recorded his maiden Test century at Eden Gardens and missed a half century in the second innings, moves up by four places to 24th from 28th, while Tendulkar climbed a rung to be 17th in the list and VVS Laxman is up one place to 19th.

Pakistan's Younis Khan, whose unbeaten 107 helped draw the match and keep the series alive, also moved up one place to seventh in the table for Test batsmen.

Maiden centurion Misbah-ul-Haq moved up 22 places to 44th with his 161 not out in the first innings while wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal progressed five places to 29th spot after a fine 119.

Though Australia's Ricky Ponting still leads the LG ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, he is now being hotly chased by South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara.

With the batsmen dominating the match in Kolkata, many of the bowlers have slipped a little in the rankings.

India's Anil Kumble drops one place to joint sixth position while team-mate Zaheer Khan slips a place to 12th spot and Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is down two places to 16th.

UNI