Pujara, Ashwin steady in ICC Test rankings

Dubai: Cheteshwar Pujara remained the best-placed Indian batsman at the seventh spot, while R Ashwin was also steady at the same position in the bowlers' chart of the latest ICC Test rankings issued today.

However, Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane, who missed centuries in the lost second Test to South Africa yesterday, made significant gains in the rankings.

Vijay, who scored 97 and six, earned six places and is now 38th while Rahane, who scored 51 not out and 96, has rocketed 63 places to 65th position. These are career-best rankings of the two India youngsters to-date.

In the South African team, Jacques Kallis has retired in 12th position rankings for Test batsmen after he inspired South Africa to a 10-wicket victory over India in the second and final Test in Durban, the ICC said in a statement.

Kallis scored a fine 115, his 45th Test century, which helped South Africa to secure a decisive 166-run first innings lead.

During his innings, Kallis also became the third most successful batsman in the history of the game after Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) and Ricky Ponting (13,378) as he finished his career with 13,289 runs.

For becoming only the 31st batsman and fourth from South Africa to score a century in his final Test, Kallis was rewarded with a jump of three places, which meant he signed off on his magnificent career in 12th position.

Kallis first topped the batting chart after his 85th Test in January 2005 when he scored 149 and 66 against England in the third Test at Newlands. Overall, he spent 68 Tests and 592 days as the top-ranked Test batsman.

The 38-year-old achieved his highest rating of 935 in his 111th Test when he scored 131 in his only innings against New Zealand in the second Test at Centurion in November 2007. On the list of all-time best ratings, this sits in 10th position along with Matthew Hayden of Australia.

Kallis, who also took 292 Test wickets, remained wicketless in the Durban Test. As such, he finished in 30th spot after slipping two places. Kallis achieved his career-best ranking of sixth when he recorded match figures of seven for 110 against Sri Lanka at Centurion in November 2002.

In the rankings for Test all-rounders, Kallis finished third after having first topped the chart in his 36th Test in March 2000 following his match figures of two for 28 and a score of 95 in South Africa's innings and 71 runs victory over India in Bengaluru.