Pujara 7th, Ashwin 8th
New Delhi: Cheteshwar Pujara gained a spot to be the highest-ranked Indian batsman at seventh even as R Ashwin remained steady eighth in the bowlers’ list of the latest ICC Test rankings released on Sunday. Apart from Pujara, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the only Indian batsman in the top-20. Dhoni is joint 20th after dropping a rung in the latest rankings. Among the bowlers, spinner Pragyan Ojha is the next best-placed Indian after Ashwin after rising a couple of positions to 11th. Pacer Zaheer Khan is 17th after losing one position. South Africa’s AB de Villiers has overtaken teammate Hashim Amla at the top of the rankings for batsmen. The latest rankings were released after South Africa beat Pakistan by an innings and 92 runs in the second Test. De Villiers, who came into the Dubai Test on 882 ratings points, earned 27 ratings points for his knock of 164 to finish at a career-best 909 to thereby become only the 28th batsman in the history of the game to break the 900-rating points barrier, a benchmark for top batsmen. Player of the match in the Dubai Test and South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who scored 234 and shared a record 338-run fifth wicket stand with de Villiers, has jumped seven places to eighth to return to the top 10 for the first time since August 2012. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has also moved up the rankings, advancing one place to a career-best sixth.
‘Seek changes in tampering laws’
Karachi: The former International Cricket Council Chairman Ehsan Mani has urged the PCB to push for new laws to curb ball-tampering instead of seeking stricter punishment for South African Faf du Plessis as it cannot interfere in that case anymore. “I don’t think the Pakistan board can interfere in this matter now as the match referee has taken his decision according to the laws for ball tampering offences,” Mani said. “What happened is most unfortunate for the image and spirit of the game but the bottom line is Plessis has been punished for his offence and the PCB can’t do anything more in this matter,” he said. But Mani conceded that the ICC needed to review its existing regulations and laws for ball tampering. “What the PCB should do is definitely try to win support of other like-minded boards and try to bring about changes in the ball tampering laws at the ICC board level,” he said.
Khawaja pushes Ashes claim
Brisbane: Batsman Usman Khawaja has pressed his claims for a place in Australia’s team for the first Ashes cricket test against England with a century for Queensland in the final of the domestic one-day cup. Khawaja’s dominant 104 came from 100 balls in Queensland’s five-wicket win over New South Wales. He shared a 165-run opening partnership with Chris Hartley. Khawaja’s century followed half centuries in four of his six previous one-day innings. New South Wales opener David Warner is a favorite for a Test recall, was out for 14. PNS/Agencies