Scintillating performances in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against Sri Lank have helped India openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Lokesh Rahul to attain career-best rankings in the latest ICC Test Rankings, released on Tuesday (August 15).
India thrashed Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the last Test at Pallekele on Monday (August 14) to inflict a whitewash on the hosts with both Dhawan and Rahul playing an integral role in it.
Dhawan, who was named in the team as Murali Vijay’s replacement, scored 119 in Pallekele and bagged the Man of the Series award for being the highest-scorer in the series. The southpaw, who was playing his first Test series since the one against New Zealand last year, scored 358 runs in four innings with the help of two centuries and has now moved up 10 places to 28th position.
On the other hand, Rahul, who was making a comeback from injury, moved up two positions to equal his career-best ninth position after scoring 85 in the Pallekele Test and finishing the series with 142 runs in two innings. He had missed the first Test due to a viral fever before scoring two half-centuries in the two innings that he played.
Meanwhile, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Niroshan Dickwella also reached their career-best rankings while left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Lakshan Sandakan progressed too.
Pandya, who made his debut in the first Test, starred in the Pallekele, slamming his maiden ton off just 86 balls and was awarded the Man of the Match award for scoring 108 off 96 balls and taking the prized scalp of Angelo Mathews in the first innings. The performance has helped the 23-year-old to reach a career-best 68th rank among batsmen.
For Sri Lanka, captain Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella have moved up. Chandimal has moved up two slots to reach 33rd position while Dickwella has gained seven slots to reach a career-best 61st position.
Here is the list of top 10 Test batsmen:
| Steve Smith (Aus) |
| Joe Root (Eng) |
| Kane Williamson |
| Cheteshwar Pujara (India) |
| Virat Kohli (India) |
| Jonny Bairstow (Eng) |
| Azhar Ali (Pak) |
| Hashim Amla (SA) |
| KL Rahul (India) |
| Ajinkya Rahane (India) |
In bowling, fast-bowler Mohammed Shami, who picked up five wickets in the third Test, has moved up one place to the 19th position while Umesh Yadav has also progressed by one slot to reach career-best 21st position. Kuldeep, who took five wickets in Pallekele, has moved up 29 slots to 58th place.
For the hosts, Sandakan has moved up 16 places to 57th position after taking five for 132.
Here is the list of top 10 Test bowlers:
| Ravindra Jadeja (India) |
| Jimmy Anderson (Eng) |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (India) |
| Josh Hazlewood (Aus) |
| Rangana Herath (SL) |
| Kagiso Rabada (SA) |
| Stuart Broad (Eng) |
| Dale Steyn (SA) |
| Vernon Philander (SA) |
| Neil Wagner (NZ) |
In the list for all-rounders, Jadeja, who did not play the last Test due to suspension, has surrendered the top spot to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hassan.
Here is the list of top 5 Test all-rounders:
| Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) |
| Ravindra Jadeja (India) |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (India) |
| Moeen Ali (Eng) |
| Ben Stokes (Eng) |
Meanwhile, with 125 points, India is at the top of Test rankings, leading second-placed South Africa by 15 points.