Gambhir back as top Test batsman by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

---

Player:

G Gambhir, KC Sangakkara

---

DateLine: 24th August 2009

 

Gambhir, who was ranked third before the chart was updated, moved up two places after Kumar Sangakkara, who was leading the chart, failed to fire in the first Test against New Zealand at Galle.

 

Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke could have benefitted from Sangakkara's loss but the Australian vice-captain's poor show in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval opened the door for Gambhir, who returned to the number one spot.

 

For Ashes winning England, off-spinner Graeme Swann moved up 17 places into the top 10 in the ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers.

 

The 30-year-old took eight wickets in the match underlying his position as England's top slow bowler and moving to 10th in the latest rankings.

 

The bowling list is still headed by South Africa's Dale Steyn with Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka in the second place.

 

Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena has moved up two places to seventh in the batting list following his first-innings century against New Zealand.

 

Australia's Ricky Ponting may have scored a battling half-century in the second innings but his overall match contribution did not save him from losing two places as he slips to ninth in the rankings.