Raina breaks into the top 10 of ODI rankings for the first time

Indian batsman Suresh Raina has broken into the top 10 of the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen for the first time in his career.

Raina has jumped 15 places to 10^th in the latest rankings released on Monday.

Raina was named player of the series against England after he scored 277 runs in the five-match series at an average of 92.33. Raina’s efforts also helped him achieve a career-best 669 ratings points.

Another batsman inside the top 10 to improve his ranking is England captain Alastair Cook, who has moved up one place to seventh.

Outside the top 10, the batsmen heading in the right direction are Graeme Smith in 15^th (up by six), Ian Bell in 23^rd (up by six), Kevin Pietersen in 29^th (up by one), David Warner in 35^th (up by two), Kane Williamson in 36^th (up by 18), George Bailey in 48^th (up by three), Rohit Sharma in 54^th (up by two), Lahiru Thirimanne (up by 12) and Faf du Plessis in joint 64^th (up by three), Colin Ingram in 83^rd (up by 14), Samit Patel in 86^th (up by 10) and James Franklin in 90^th (up by 13).

Australia’s debutant batsman Philip Hughes, who was the highest run-getter in the series against Sri Lanka with 257 runs, has entered the rankings in 73^rd position.

The batting table contines to be headed by South Africa’s Hashim Amla, followed by teammate AB de Villiers in second and India’s Virat Kohli in third place.

The Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers is still topped by Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, followed by teammate Mohammad Hafeez in second place. But there has been a lot of movement inside the top 10 of the bowlers’ list.

South Africa’s Lonawabo Tsotsobe has moved up a place to third, Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara, who was the number-one ranked ODI bowler in March 2009, has jumped up 16 places to sixth spot following his 11 wickets in the series against Australia, Steven Finn has gained one spot and is now in fifth position, and Lasith Malinga has returned after jumping 10 places to 10th.

Others bowlers to make gains are Kyle Mills in 11th (up by one), Angelo Mathews (up by six) and Xavier Doherty (up by seven) in joint 25^th, Rangana Herath in 30^th (up by eight), Tim Bresnan in 35^th(up by two), James Tredwell in 43^rd (up by 57), Ishant Sharma in 50^th (up by 17), Nathan McCullum in 52^nd (up by eight), Mitchell Starc in 68^th (up by three), Bhuvaneshwar Kumar in 73^rd (up by 31) and Ryan McLaren in 90^th (up by 23).

India’s Ravindra Jadeja has made all-round gains in the latest rankings. He has moved up nine places to 56^th in the batting table and has jumped 15 places to a career-best eighth in the bowlers’ list with best-ever 663 ratings points.

The combined batting and bowling performances has helped Jadeja move up two places to fifth in the all-rounders’ table.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez continues to head the all-rounders’ list followed by Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan in second place.