Off-spinner Ashwin climbs to ninth spot in Test rankings

Dubai, Aug 16. Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday climbed three places to the ninth spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowlers rankings after claiming match figures of 10 for 160 against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle.

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Despite Ashwin's performance, India lost to hosts by 63-runs on Saturday. But his teammate Shikhar Dhawan also climbed 15 places to be 32nd, his highest, after scoring his fourth Test century (134) in the just concluded Test.

Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal, who was awarded man-of-the-match for his 59 and 162 not out in the Test, climbed 22 places to a career-high 23rd ranking.

Lankan left-arm spinner Herath moved up two places to be sixth after claiming match figures of seven for 115 runs, his 22nd five-wicket haul in Test cricket, and is now on 771 points -- a point clear of South African pacer Vernon Philander.

Skipper Angelo Mathews has overtaken his illustrious teammate Kumar Sangakarra by moving up one place to be fifth in the batsmen rankings after scores of 64 and 39.

Sangakarra, who will make his final appearance for Sri Lanka in the second Test which starts in Colombo on Thursday, now lies nine points behind Mathews on 851 points.

Virat Kohli's first innings score of 103, his 11th Test century, has cemented him the 10th position and he is now five points clear of Australia's David Warner.

The top of the all-rounder rankings remain unchanged with Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan leading the way with 384 points. However, Ashwin has risen one place to second ahead of Philander, and is now 45 points behind Shakib.