Pujara, Ashwin achieve career-best Test rankings

India's middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have achieved their career-best rankings in batting and bowling, respectively in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings released in Dubai.

They have reaped the rewards for their impressive performances during India's historic 4-0 series sweep over Australia.

Pujara's unbeaten 82 helped India script a six-wicket win in the fourth Test against Australia in Delhi, which led to the Saurashtra batsman moving into the top 10 of the Player Rankings for the first-time in his career.

Pujara, who amassed 419 runs at an average of 83.80 in the series, has jumped five places to a best-ever seventh position with 777 ratings points while Ashwin, who was named man-of-the-series for his 29-wicket series haul, is now at a best-ever sixth spot, having jumped two places.

However, Sachin Tendulkar has lost five positions to be at 26th place while Viart Kohli has slipped to 24th position, losing four places.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the double centurion in the Chennai Test, has jumped two places to 22nd position along with West Indian Chris Gayle while Murali Vijay, the other Test centurion in Hyderabad, has jumped three places to 40th position in the batsmen's list headed by South Africa's Hashim Amla.

The latest rankings were released, a day after England's magnificent fight back in the Auckland Test which denied New Zealand a series win. 

The result left the series deadlocked at 0-0.The hero of England's great escape was Prior, who hit an unbeaten 110, has jumped four places to a career-best 10th position with best-ever 745 ratings points.

In the bowlers' chart, besides Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja has gained eight places to be in 27th spot while Pragyan Ojha has dropped a place to be at 10th position.

Pacer Zaheer Khan retained his 16th position.South Africa's Dale Steyn still maintains the top spot, while his teammate Vernon Philander is in second place and Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath in third.

In the all-rounder table, Ashwin remained static at third position.

Meanwhile, in the ICC Test Championship table, South Africa have already sealed their position as the number-one ranked side at the 1 April cut-off date, which means they would not only retain the Test mace but would also be assured of a reward of $450,000.