ICC rankings: Ponting out of top ten batsmen for first time since 2002

Sydney, Dec 10(ANI): Australian skipper Ricky Ponting’s sub-par performance in the Adelaide Test against West Indies has seen him slide out of the world’s top ten batsmen for the first time since 2002.

The most recent figures released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) has Ponting sitting at 12th place, a drop of three spots. He is now behind New Zealand’s Ross Taylor (ninth) and Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, who jumped 14 spots into fifth after his recent 293 against Sri Lanka, Fox Sports reported.

Indian opener Gautam Gambhir leads the batting table with Sri Lankan duo of Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara second and third. The only Australian to sit among the top ten is vice-captain Michael Clarke, who improved his position by one spot to fourth.

There is no change in the list for Test all-rounders with South Africa’s Jacques Kallis leading the field by a comfortable margin.

Meanwhile, in the team rankings Australia had started the year in the number one spot, but face the embarrassing prospect of slipping to fourth if they fail to beat West Indies in the third Test at the WACA Ground.

Not even a draw against West Indies will halt the slide with Sri Lanka set to assume third spot on the rankings behind India and South Africa.

Team India is currently at the top of the ICC rankings after defeating Sri Lanka in the three Test match series, while not even a draw against West Indies will halt the slide with Sri Lanka set to assume third spot on the rankings behind South Africa. (ANI)

Sehwag says no to 'catches pact' with Aussies

Aggressive Indian opener Virender Sehwag said Tuesday he was against a "catches pact" with Ricky Ponting's Australia in the upcoming Test series after bitter memories of the last tour Down Under. "We suffered the most in the catches pact during the last series," Sehwag told ESPN-STAR Sports ahead of the four-match series starting in Bangalore on Thursday. "There is no point in having such an arrangement when the Australians are claiming one-bounce catches. We'd have won the Sydney Test if they hadn't claimed catches off half-volleys in that game." The Sydney Test ended the pre-series captains' agreement on taking the fielder's word on disputed catches, but Ponting recently said he was still open to the idea. "I will have a think about it and see if I think it is the right idea to bring it up again," Ponting had said. "Anil was the one who did not want that after the Sydney Test for one reason or the other. We will have a chat (before this series) and it's important to us Australians to play the game in the right spirit and embrace the culture." The Sydney match also almost saw Anil Kumble's Indians pull out of the series after a string of controversial umpiring decisions. The tourists agreed to continue only after the International Cricket Council pacified them by standing down West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor from the subsequent Perth Test. Sehwag said the hosts held an edge in the coming series as they had a balanced bowling attack. "Bangalore, Mohali and Nagpur (venues for Tests) have offered good bounce in the past and we can take advantage of these conditions with tall, fast bowlers," he said. "If we have spinning tracks, we have the spinners to extract advantage. Their spin department is weak and there is a wide possibility we can win the series either 3-0 or 3-1." Australia are hoping to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they won by an identical 2-1 margin in the last two series in 2004 and earlier this year.

Soruce: www.cricbuzz.com

Ganguly included for first two tests

The new selection committee, led by Kris Srikkanth has included Sourav Ganguly for the first two tests against Australia.Saurav Ganguly's inclusion has come as a surprise after he was left out of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy.It is understood that the selectors want to give the Bengal left-hander an honourable exit from the game and that Ganguly will retire after the Australia series as part of a transition plan.Another surprise inclusion is Delhi's 25 year-old leg spinner Amit Mishra, who pipped favourites Pragyan Ojha and Murali Karthik to take the third spinner's slot.The last batsman's slot was handed to S. Badrinath, who had a remarkable domestic season, ending as the second highest run getter in the Ranji trophy.Munaf Patel and RP Singh are the other two pacemen in the squad but are likely to play if either of Ishant Sharma or Zaheer Khan gets injured.The selectors chose not to name any back-up openers or wicket-keepers.India squad: Anil Kumble (c), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Saurav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, S Badrinath, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, RP Singh.

Source: www.cricbuzz.com

Ishant rested for Sri Lanka ODIs

Ishant Sharma has been rested for the five one-dayers against Sri Lanka to keep him fresh and fit for the Champions Trophy and the tests against Australia in October. Munaf Patel has been named as his replacement but will be replaced by Ishant Sharma for the Champions Trophy.Mahendra Singh Dhoni will return to the squad but Parthiv Patel has been included the 16-man contingent. Parthiv Patel, however will be left out of the 15-man Champions Trophy squad.Yusuf Pathan along with Robin Uthappa have been overlooked as Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh make their way into the squad.Sreesanth is still nursing his injury and was not considerd while U-19 captain Virat Kohli was the surprise inclusion.

India team for Sri Lanka ODIs: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh and Munaf Patel.

Champions Trophy squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Yuvraj Singh (VC), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh