Dubai: Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who starred with a nine-wicket haul in the first Test against England, rose nine places to break into the top-five of the latest ICC rankings issued here on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old recorded match figures of 77.2-24-165-9 in the match that India won by nine wickets in Ahmedabad to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. The other Indians in the top 20 are pace spearhead Zaheer Khan (up one place to 14th) and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (steady at 18th).
Not a single Indian features in the top 20 of the ICC’s batting chart but Cheteshwar Pujara, who struck a doubled hundred in the Ahmedabad Test, has rocketed 35 places to the 24th position.
England captain Alastair Cook, who scored a gutsy 176 in his side’s second innings, has returned to the top 10 by rising four places to seventh.
Matt Prior, on the other hand, has become the fifth England batsman inside the top 20 after achieving a career-best ranking of 18th.
Indian opener Virender Sehwag is now in 22nd position after gaining one place following his 23rd Test century. (PTI)
