Laxman returns to top 10 in ICC rankings

Veteran Indian batsman VVS Laxman [ Images ] rose seven places to a career-best sixth in the ICC [ Images ] Rankings for Test batsmen after playing two crucial half centuries in the drawn match against the West Indies [ Images ] in Bridgetown.

The 36-year-old from Hyderabad, who hit 85 and 87 in a low-scoring match, has moved above compatriot Virender Sehwag [ Images ] and Shivnarine Chanderpaul [ Images ], who both lose ground in the latest rankings.

The top five remain unchanged with Jacques Kallis [ Images ] of South Africa [ Images ] still leading the way ahead of Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ] in second postion.

Sehwag and Tendulkar, who are not playing in the West Indies, have fallen back because a player loses one per cent of his ratings points for every Test he misses.

The news is also good for 10-wicket hero Ishant Sharma [ Images ] who has broken into the top-10 of the Rankings for Test bowlers following his stellar performance here.

With match figures of 41.2-11-108-10, Ishant gained four places to seventh, overtaking teammate Harbhajan Singh [ Images ] in the process and making him the second highest-ranked India [ Images ] bowler at the moment.

It was a productive match for West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards [ Images ] as he returned to the top-20 following an eight-wicket haul in the Test, the ICC said in a statement.

South Africa leads the way in the bowling chart, too, with speedster Dale Steyn [ Images ] top of the list, followed by England [ Images ] off-spinner Graeme Swann [ Images ].

There was no change in the top five of the Rankings for Test all-rounders with Kallis leading the way, followed by New Zealand's [ Images ] Daniel Vettori [ Images ].