Sharma, Shakib make big gains in latest ICC rankings

Dubai, Jan.22 (ANI): India pacer Ishant Sharma has gained nine places in the latest Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers and now sits in 16th position, just behind the other big mover of the day, Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.

In a closely fought match at Chittagong, India eventually ran out the winner by 113 runs but it was not all bad news for Bangladesh as the home team remained competitive for long periods of the game.

Shakib's seven wickets - including 5-62 in the first innings - was a highlight of the match and has earned the 22-year-old nine places in the rankings, the same as Sharma, who took five wickets of his own.

Further down the list, India's leg-spinner Amit Mishra gained 10 places and has moved up to 45th in the rankings after taking match figures of 38.4-5-158-7. Number one in the bowling chart is still Dale Steyn of South Africa, followed in second place by Australia's Mitchell Johnson.

In the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen Sachin Tendulkar showed in the match that he still has plenty to offer at this level with his 44th Test century. The 36-year-old from Mumbai now averages exactly 55 with the bat over the course of his amazing Test career that remarkably is now into its 21st year.

Tendulkar's latest success has earned him two places in the rankings and he is now back up to 13th position. Meanwhile, team-mate VVS Laxman has also gained two places and is up to 15th position but former captain Rahul Dravid has slipped five places to 19th spot.

The batting list is still headed by Gautam Gambhir whose second-innings century went a long way to securing victory for India.(ANI)