Rohit, Saha make huge gains in latest ICC Test rankings

Dubai [UAE], Oct.04 (ANI): Indian batsmen Wriddhiman Saha and Rohit Sharma, and Luke Ronchi of New Zealand have made notable gains in the latest ICC player rankings after the second Test in Kolkata which India won by 178 runs to take a winning 2-0 lead and assure itself of the number-one team ranking at the end of the three-match series. Wicketkeeper-batsman Saha's unbeaten knocks of 54 and 58 not only earned him the player of the match award but has also propelled him 18 places to 56th position in the list of batsmen led by Australia captain Steve Smith. Sharma, whose crucial second-innings contribution of 82 helped India set a challenging 376-run target for New Zealand, has gained 14 slots to reach 38th rank. Cheteshwar Pujara is the other India batsman to gain as he has moved up one slot to 15th position after scoring a total of 91 runs in Kolkata, including a first innings knock of 87. For New Zealand, Ronchi, primarily a wicketkeeper-batsman in limited overs cricket who has played both Tests of the series as a specialist batsman, produced knocks of 35 and 32 to gain 12 slots and reach 40th rank. His compatriot and left-handed opener Tom Latham has gained three places to reach 33rd slot after innings of one and 74. In the ICC player rankings for Test bowlers led by South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn, India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar's six wickets in the match, including a five for 48 in the first innings, have helped him gain nine slots to reach 26th place. His fellow pace bowler Mohammad Shami's two three-wicket hauls have seen him move up two places to 23rd position, while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has gained one slot to reach sixth rank with four wickets in the match. New Zealand pace bowler Matt Henry, playing only his fifth Test match, has gained 16 slots to reach 61st position after grabbing five wickets in the match, while Trent Boult's five wickets in Kolkata have seen him gain one position to reach ninth rank as he switched positions with compatriot left-arm pace bowler Neil Wagner who slipped from ninth to 10th rank. Meanwhile, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson have slipped one slot each in the bowlers' and batsmen's rankings, respectively. The pair had risen from third to second positions after the opening Test in Kanpur. However, Ashwin's four wickets in the Kolkata Test were not enough for him to retain the number-two position, while Williamson's absence from the match due to illness meant he lost one percentage point from his rating points and, as such, has slipped back to third position. (ANI)