Dubai July 19 (IANS) A 10-wicket haul against minnows Zimbabwe helped veteran Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath leapfrog India s Ravichandran Ashwin and take the second spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowlers rankings released here on Wednesday.
Herath s figures of 11/249 against Zimbabwe in Colombo helped him move within 32 points of top-ranked Ravindra Jadeja of India whose bowling partner Ashwin slipped to third.
Herath will come up against both Ashwin and Jadeja when India tour Sri Lanka starting with a three-match Test series from July 26.
The 39-year-old Herath is also the most successful left-arm spinner in Tests with a 384 wicket-haul in 81 matches. South African Keshav Maharaj is the other who has moved up 12 slots to 26th position.
Zimbabwe leg-spinner Graeme Cremer who bagged nine wickets in the Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo has risen 20 places to a career-best 53rd rank.
England s James Anderson and Australia s Josh Hazlewood are the highest-ranked pace bowlers tied in fourth position.
Among the ICC Test batsmen Australia skipper Steve Smith continues to rule the chart followed by England s Joe Root and New Zealand s Kane Williamson.
India s Cheteshwar Pujara is at the fourth spot while his skipper Virat Kohli completes the top five.
In the top-10 South African veteran Hashim Amla is the biggest mover rising six spots to take the seventh position while India s Lokesh Rahul who was out of action for the most part of the home season dropped one rung to the No.10 spot.
There were however no changes among the all-rounders barring South African Vernon Philander who rose two spots to occupy the No.5 position in the rankings led by Bangladesh s Shakib-Al-Hasan and followed by the Indian duo of Jadeja and Ashwin. England s Moeen Ali is at fourth.
--IANS
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