Internet Desk: Great opportunity for India’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to regain the top spot of bowling and all-rounder position in the ICC rankings when the Men in Blue face Sri Lanka in the three-match Test series which is set to start in Kolkata on October 16.
Jadeja, who has played 32 Tests for the nation has taken 155 wickets and scored 1136 runs, is holding the second spot in ICC rankings in both the categories.
Veteran England pacer James Anderson is ahead of him in the bowlers category with just 12 points, on the other hand star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is ahead of Jadeja by eight points.
If Jadeja can give his best with both bat and ball, then he will regain the top slots he last held following his side’s second Test against Sri Lanka in August.
While that was the first time he had surged to number one in the all-rounders’ list, he was the top-ranked bowler until Anderson leapfrogged him on September 9 following the Lord’s Test against the West Indies.
Apart from Jadeja, India’s sixth-ranked Virat Kohli will also be eyeing a return to the top-five among batsmen as he presently trails Australia’s David Warner by just one point.
Other India batsmen inside the top-10 include Lokesh Rahul (eighth) and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (ninth), while batsmen outside the top-20 are Shikhar Dhawan (30th), Murali Vijay (36th) and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (47th).
The other India bowlers to feature prominently in the rankings are Ravichandran Ashwin (fourth), Mohammed Shami (19th), Umesh Yadav (27th), Ishant Sharma (29th) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (37th).
Sri Lanka have two batsmen in Dimuth Karunaratne (17th) and captain Dinesh Chandimal (20th) inside the top-20, while batsmen aiming for upward movements are Angelo Mathews (24th), Niroshan Dickwella (40th), Dilruwan Perera (78th) and Lahiru Thirimanne (113th).
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath is Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked bowler in fifth place. He is followed by Dilruwan Perera (25th), Suranga Lakmal (36th), Lakshan Sandakan (69th), Angelo Mathews (81st) and Lahiru Gamage (108th).