India’s bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is going to make a comeback to the game’s longest format after almost a gap of three months due to BCCI’s rotational policy. He will now have a chance to reclaim the top spot among bowlers and all-rounders in the ICC rankings when Team India face Sri Lankans in the first of the three-match Test series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on November 16. Jadeja is currently second in both the categories.
Jadeja, who made his Test debut against England in December 2012, is 12 points behind England pacer James Anderson in the bowlers’ category, while in the all-rounders’ list, he is eight points behind Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.
Jadeja has played 32 Tests to date in which he has taken 155 wickets and scored 1136 runs. He last held the top spots during the second Test against Sri Lanka in August earlier this year. If Jadeja puts up a superb show with both bat and ball, then he can again climb back to the top ranks.
Apart from Jadeja, Indian skipper Virat Kohli, currently ranked sixth, will also be eyeing a return to the top five among batsmen as he presently trails Australia’s David Warner by just one point.
Other Indian batsmen in the top 10 include Lokesh Rahul (eighth) and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (ninth). While batsmen outside the top 20 are Shikhar Dhawan (30th), Murali Vijay (36th) and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (47th).
Other Indian bowlers to feature prominently in the rankings are Ravichandran Ashwin (fourth), Mohammed Shami (19th), Umesh Yadav (27th), Ishant Sharma (29th) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (37th).
Sri Lanka have two batsmen — Dimuth Karunaratne (17th) and captain Dinesh Chandimal (20th) — listed in the top 20 rankings. Those aiming to climb the ranks are Angelo Mathews (24th), Niroshan Dickwella (40th), Dilruwan Perera (78th) and Lahiru Thirimanne (113th).
Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, 39, is Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked bowler in fifth place.
He is followed by Dilruwan Perera (25th), Suranga Lakmal (36th), Lakshan Sandakan (69th), Angelo Mathews (81st) and Lahiru Gamage (108th).
