Dhoni, Kohli among top-10 ODI batsmen in ICC rankings

[1]

Pakistani spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammed Hafeez dominate the ODI rankings while Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli are the only two Indian batsmen in the top-10 in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings released here on Wednesday.

India captain Dhoni dropped one place to the fourth place and is now sharing the place with Kohli, who moved up one place. Rohit Sharma, who has hit three consecutive half-centuries against the West Indies, moved up 21 places to 35th but Gautam Gambhir lost seven places in the latest rankings to 19th position and is now level with South Africa's J.P. Duminy.

The 31-year-old Hafeez climbed up six places in the bowlers rankings after a strong performance in the recent three-match series in Bangladesh. He now sits just 19 ratings points behind team-mate Ajmal, who heads the list.

Among the bowlers, Hafeez took six wickets in the series at an average of just 8.16 and an economy-rate of less than two runs per over making him the pick of an impressive bunch. Ajmal did enough to stay on the top of the world rankings with series figures of 4-52.

There were also gains for Umar Gul, who rose three places to 26th position, and Shoaib Malik, who gained 35 places to 82nd in the world.

Hafeez's bowling, coupled with some good support with the bat down the order, has earned him one place on the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders and he now occupies the second position, having overtaken Australia's Shane Watson. He is just 13 ratings points behind leader Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.

Despite losing the series 0-3, Shakib was his usual competitive self and his series figures of 4-90 earned him three places on the bowling rankings as he moves to seventh overall.

For India, R. Ashwin has broken into the top 20 of the bowling charts for the first time in his career. With two matches remaining in the ongoing series with the West Indies, the 25-year-old from Chennai has gained three places and moves up to 18th position in the rankings.

There is also good progress for Ravi Rampaul in the bowling rankings (up one place to 13th), while in the batting list those moving up include Lendl Simmons (up five spots to 25th), Darren Bravo (up 15 to 54th) and Andre Russell (up 34 to 76th).

ICC One-Day Rankings --

Batsmen:
1. Hashim Amla (South Africa) 845 rating points
2. AB de Villiers (South Africa) 792
3. Jonathan Trott (England) 778
4. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli (both India) 766
6. Shane Watson (Australia) 759
7. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) 752
8. Mike Hussey (Australia) 741
9. Michael Clarke (Australia) 717
10.Umar Akmal (Pakistan) 704

Bowlers:
1. Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan) 737
2. Mohammed Hafeez (Pakistan) 718
3. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) 691
4. Graeme Swann (England) 689
5. Mitchell Johnson (Australia) 688
6. Morne Morkel (South Africa)2011
7. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) 662
8. Doug Bollinger (Australia) 660
9. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) and Dale Steyn (South Africa) 644

All-rounders
1. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) 420
2. Mohammed Hafeez (Pakistan) 407
3. Shane Watson (Australia) 405
4. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) 370
5. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 352