Ravichandran Ashwin climbs to fifth spot in ICC bowlers rankings

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin rises to fifth spot in ICC Test bowlers rankings

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returned to the fifth spot after rising three places in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowlers rankings, following his eight wickets against South Africa in the first Test. His five-wicket haul in the first innings also made him the fastest Indian to reach 150 Test wickets.

Apart from Ashwin, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and leg-spinner Amit Mishra also gained positions for helping India to 108-run victory at Mohali, an ICC release said.

Comeback man Jadeja has shot up 10 places to a career-best 21st position following match figures of 8/76, which also earned him the Player of the Match in the Mohali Test. On the other hand, Mishra went up three places to sit at 34th position.

Meanwhile, opener Murali Vijay's score of 75 and 47 has vaulted him eight places to 11th position, making him India's highest-ranked Indian in the Test batsmen rankings. The Chennai star made a comeback from injury in this series.

Middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has also rocketed five places following his contribution of 31 and 77 but he is two places behind Vijay in 13th spot.

Batsmen sliding in the latest rankings following the Brisbane Test between Australia and New Zealand and Mohali Test include Virat Kohli at 16th (down five places), Ross Taylor at 17th (down four places), Ajinkya Rahane at 24th (down three places), and Shikhar Dhawan at 38th (down eight places).

South Africa's AB de Villiers has powered to the top of the batting chart. De Villiers scored 63 and 16 against India in the Mohali Test and has leapfrogged Australia captain Steven Smith, who scored 48 and one against New Zealand in Brisbane.

There is no change in the list of top three all-rounders, which is still headed by Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh. Jadeja had blitzed his way and climbed 10 places to be placed in 13th position. This is a career-high gain for the Saurashtra all-rounder.