India drop to 2nd but Kohli, Ashwin rise in ICC rankings

India lost their number one status to Sri Lanka after being defeated in the World Twenty20 final but star batsman Virat Kohli and spinner R Ashwin today attained career-high positions of second and third respectively in the latest ICC rankings issued here.

"India pair of Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin has attained career-best rankings, at the end of the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014, in the latest Reliance ICC Player Rankings for T20I batsmen and Reliance ICC Player Ranking for T20I bowlers respectively," the ICC said in a statement.

"Sri Lanka reclaimed the number-one position on the Reliance ICC T20I Team Rankings Table, after it beat India in the final to win the tournament for the first-time ever. Sri Lanka gained three ratings points to finish on 133, three ahead of India, to move into the top position," the ICC stated.

"Before the semi-finals began, India had gone past Sri Lanka to become the number-one ranked side. The final therefore was also a contest for either side to reclaim or retain the top spot."

Kohli, named player of the tournament, ended as the highest run-getter of the tournament with 319 runs at an average of 106.33 and a strike-rate of 129.14.
He scored an unbeaten 72 in the semi-final against South Africa and followed it up with a knock of 77 in the final against Sri Lanka.

These efforts helped Kohli gain 68 ratings points to move up to a best-ever 889 ratings points, just three behind number-one ranked Australia batsman Aaron Finch.

The only other India batsman in the top 10 is Suresh Raina, now in 10th place (down by three).

Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera, in fifth, is the only batsman from his side in the top 10.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has entered the top 10 for the first-time ever and is now in sixth place (up by 11). Close on his heels is teammate JP Duminy, in seventh place (up by one).