Rahane, Mishra jump ahead in the ICC Test rankings

The strong performances of  Indian players in the second test against Sri Lanka, paid off well as Wriddhiman Saha,  Lokesh Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Amit Mishra and R Ashwin jumped ahead in their respective test  rankings, with Ajinkya Rahane jumping up two places to a career-best 20 position in the ICC Test Batsmen rankings, while Amit Mishra’s match haul of 7 for 72 catapulted him 42 places up  to a career high of 39.

R Ashwin’s match haul of 7 for 118 propelled him to the eighth position in the ranking ahead of Rangana Herath and just one point behind South Africa’s Vernon Philander.

The Indian team, which beat hosts Sri Lanka by 278 runs in the second test to level the series, looks forward to clinch the title, as they head to Colombo for the third and final test on Friday.

If India win the series 2-1, they will overtake New Zealand and move to the fifth position in the rankings, and if they lose 2-1, then Sri Lanka would progress to 96 points and overtake India to clinch the sixth position. A tied series would see the rankings undisturbed with India on the 6 position, 4 points clear of Sri Lanka.