India's batsmen are on the move

Yuvraj, Gambhir and Sehwag all on the up in Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen Haddin, Hussey and Johnson keep Australian flag flying as success of Ross Taylor, Kyle Mills and Iain O’Brien reflects a good series for the Black Caps

Yuvraj Singh has moved to third in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen after a successful series in Sri Lanka.

In the five matches of the series, the 27-year-old left-hander scored 284 runs at an average of 56.80 and contributed to India’s 4-1 series win. As a result Yuvraj has gained four places and now sits in third place, just behind Australia’s Michael Hussey in second position and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in top spot.

It has been a good period for many of India’s batsmen with Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag also making good progress in the latest rankings. Gambhir has gained eight places and moves up to 12th position while Sehwag’s recent good form has earned him a return to the top 20 as he moves up six places to 15th spot on the list.

Another big mover is New Zealand’s Ross Taylor who has put in some classy performances in his side’s drawn series in Australia. Taylor has gained seven places in the latest rankings and now occupies 16th position, level with South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs.

All this movement has not been good for everyone, however. Two of the world’s most successful batsmen, Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, have both slipped in the latest charts. After a protracted period in the top five, Ponting has dropped five places and now sits in 10th position while Tendulkar has fallen out of the top 20 after losing nine places. He now sits in 21st spot.

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin has been presenting a compelling argument as to why he should be considered as a worthy replacement for the retired Adam Gilchrist with the 31-year-old New South Welshman ending up as top scorer from either side in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Haddin scored a total of 283 runs at an average of 70.75 and in the process gained 31 places in the latest rankings to 38th position.

Sadly for India the news is not so positive for its bowlers as it is for the batsmen. Zaheer Khan has dropped five places in the latest Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers and now sits in 14th position. The left-armer will, however, have a chance to remedy that situation when his side takes on New Zealand in five ODIs next month.

But the news is better for Australia’s Mitchell Johnson who took seven wickets in the series. He has moved up four places and is back into the top 10.

Johnson’s team-mate James Hopes is a big mover following that series with the medium-pacer having gained 12 places to 18th spot on the log after averaging 22.71 for the series at an economy-rate of just 3.78.

New Zealand’s Kyle Mills has gained two places to third in the rankings with the Black Caps currently boasting two bowlers in the top three as skipper Daniel Vettori is still ranked as the number-one ODI bowler in the world.

The biggest mover, however, is their team-mate Iain O’Brien whose 10 wickets in the series have shot him up no fewer than 134 places. But the fast bowler still has a long way to go as he currently occupies 119th position in the rankings.

The absent Jacob Oram has slipped a place in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders, moving from second to third in a list still headed by Bangladesh’s Sakib Al Hasan.

For more information go to www.reliancemobileiccrankings.com.