IANS/Mumbai
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) yesterday announced that Karnataka all-rounder Stuart Binny will join the Test team before the second match of the three-Test away series against Sri Lanka. “All-rounder Stuart Binny will join the Indian team before the second match of the three-match Test series in Sri Lanka,” BCCI said in a statement. However, the board didn’t inform about any injury and Binny will be the 16th member of the side. Opening batsman Murali Vijay, who missed the first Test due to with a hamstring niggle, is expected to return for the second Test starting in Colombo on Thursday.
Binny, who has played three Tests so far, adds more balance to the squad. Captain Virat Kohli had played five bowlers in the first Test and it backfired as they crashed to a humiliating 63-run loss. They were chasing 176 in the fourth innings but were bowled out for 112 on the fourth day on Saturday.
Off-spinner Ashwin climbs to ninth spot in Test rankings
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin climbed three places to the ninth spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowlers rankings after claiming match figures of 10 for 160 against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle.
Despite Ashwin’s performance, India lost to hosts by 63-runs. His teammate Shikhar Dhawan also climbed 15 places to be 32nd, his highest, after scoring his fourth Test century (134).
Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal, who was awarded man-of-the-match for his 59 and 162 not out in the Test, climbed 22 places to a career-high 23rd ranking.
Lankan left-arm spinner Herath moved up two places to be sixth after claiming match figures of seven for 115 runs, his 22nd five-wicket haul in Test cricket, and is now on 771 points -- a point clear of South African pacer Vernon Philander.
Skipper Angelo Mathews has overtaken his illustrious teammate Kumar Sangakarra by moving up one place to be fifth in the batsmen rankings after scores of 64 and 39.
Sangakarra, who will make his final appearance for Sri Lanka in the second Test which starts in Colombo on Thursday, now lies nine points behind Mathews on 851 points. Virat Kohli’s first innings score of 103, his 11th Test century, has cemented him the 10th position and he is now five points clear of Australia’s David Warner.
The top of the all-rounder rankings remain unchanged with Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan leading the way with 384 points. However, Ashwin has risen one place to second ahead of Philander, and is now 45 points behind Shakib.
