West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has regained his No. 1 ranking for Test batsmen after being the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded home series against Australia with 346 runs at an average of 86.50.
Australia after winning the series 2-0, moved up to No. 3 in the ICC Test rankings, replacing India.
Chanderapul reached the top after his twin-half centuries in the final Test in Dominica, moving ahead of the South African duo Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers. He also passed the 10,000-run mark in the series.
The Guyanese left-hander last attained the No. 1 ranking in July 2008 and held it for seven months. He briefly dropped to No. 2 in February 2009, but returned to the top spot three Tests later, after the fifth Test against England in Trinidad.
In May 2009, he lost his spot to Pakistan batsman Younis Khan. Chanderpaul’s ranking slipped to as low as No. 15 before he made his way back to the top.
He was voted Man-of-the-Series in the just concluded Aussie series.
Meanwhile, West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach has jumped to a career-best 18th spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings, following his 10-wicket match haul in the recently concluded second Test against Australia at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.
The right-arm bowler claimed 10 wickets for 146 to keep the Windies in contention throughout the contest at Queen’s Park Oval, before the game petered out into a disappointing draw after rain intervened on the final day.
Roach was one of the biggest moves in the latest Test player rankings, jumping l6 places.
He is now the highest ranked West Indies bowler, with Captain Darren Sammy unmoved at 22nd and fast bowler Fidel Edwards dropping one spot to 27th.
Part-time off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine has raised 12 places to 57th after his five-wicket haul in the first Test and figures of 2 for 32 in the first inning of the second Test.
He is now only behind South African’s AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis who are first and second respectively.
Stylish left-hander Darren Bravo has broken into the top 20 for the first time in his career after he eased two places in the 19th position.
Sammy is now 11th in the overall all-rounders rankings after moving up two places.
AP Photo/Andres Leighton
