Mike Hussey is ICCs number-one Test batsman

Australias Michael Hussey has returned to the top of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after he scored 177 runs in the match, including a knock of 146 in the first innings.

Dubai, Oct.14 : Australia's Michael Hussey has returned to the top of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after he scored 177 runs in the match, including a knock of 146 in the first innings.

Hussey (33) was placed third before this match, just behind Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2008 Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies. But his efforts in Banglalore have put him back on top, a position he held for a short time earlier this year during his side's tour of the Caribbean.

Hussey's team-mate Ricky Ponting stays in fourth spot in the rankings despite scoring his maiden Test century in India.

However, that innings has piled the pressure on those above the Australia captain and means that it is a very close battle with just 19 ratings points separating the top five batsmen in the world.

It isn't all good news for the batsmen though with Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke and Rahul Dravid all slipping two places. Hayden now lies in ninth spot with Clarke further back in 15th position and Dravid managing to stay in the top 20 in 18th.

VVS Laxman gains one place to 14th position but Virender Sehwag falls back one spot to 11th and Sachin Tendulkar drops back another place to 24th.

Things look better for man of the match Zaheer Khan who has gained no fewer than seven places in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers. The 30-year-old took six wickets in the match, including 5-96 in the first innings. He now sits in 11th spot in the rankings.

Anil Kumble is not so fortunate as he has lost eight places in the bowling rankings, plummeting from 10th position to 18th. The India captain bowled 51 overs in the match without picking up a wicket.

Australia's Mitchell Johnson is another big mover among the bowlers, gaining six places to 34th spot after a good game for the 26-year-old Queenslander in which he claimed five wickets.

India pacer Ishant Sharma also proved to be a tricky customer in Bangalore and has gained a place on the rankings for each of the seven wickets he took in the match. He now sits in 40th position and ready to make an assault on the top end of the ladder during the rest of the series.

That ladder is still led by Muttiah Muralidaran of Sri Lanka, followed closely by Stuart Clark of Australia and South Africa's Dale Steyn.

Meanwhile, Brett Lee has moved up one place to seventh in the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test all-rounders. The list is headed by South Africa's Jacques Kallis followed in second position by Black Caps' captain Daniel Vettori.

ANI