Kumar Sangakkara continues to top ICC Test rankings for batsmen

Kumar Sangakkara continues to lead the Test rankings for batsmen

The Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings is headed by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, with South Africa team-mates AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla sitting second and third, respectively.

Joe Root and Gary Ballance have achieved career-best rankings in the batting table after inspiring England to a nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second Test, which concluded in St George’s, Gernada, on Saturday.

James Anderson & Joe Root celebrate career high spots in the Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings http://t.co/9LTrbekrkT pic.twitter.com/9dgFtgUI6M

— ICC (@ICC) April 26, 2015

Root not only won the player of the match award for his 182 not out but has also been rewarded with a jump of five places that has put him in a career-best fifth position. At 865 ratings points, he is also enjoying his career-high rating with fourth-ranked Steven Smith firmly within his sights.

Ballance is the other England player to achieve a career-high ranking. His scores of 77 and 81 not out have pushed him up five places to 17th in the latest rankings, which were released on Sunday morning.

Other batsmen to make gains include Alastair Cook 27th (up by two places), Marlon Samuels 28th (up by three places), Darren Bravo 32nd (up by two places) and Kraigg Brathwaite 34th (up by eight places).

Virat Kohli still remains the top-ranked Indian batsman, coming in at the 12^th spot.

Here are top 10 ranked Test batsmen:

Rank	Batsman	Country	Points
1	Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	909
2	AB de Villiers	South Africa	908
3	Hashim Amla	South Africa	891
4	Steven Smith	Australia	873
5	Joe Root	England	865
6	Angelo Mathews	Sri Lanka	841
7	Kane Williamson	New Zealand	839
8	Younis Khan	Pakistan	818
9	David Warner	Australia	805
1o	Misbah-ul-Haq	Pakistan	777