The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Series win will make India No. 2 Test team

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Series win will make India No. 2 Test team

Dubai: India would topple South Africa and occupy the No. 2 slot in the ICC Test Championship table if it wins the two-match Test series against England starting in Chennai on Thursday.

Even a 1-0 win against Kevin Pietersen’s team would see India, currently third with 116 points, overtaking South Africa and recapture the second spot, a position it had briefly enjoyed after the 2-0 home series victory against Australia recently.

South Africa, however, will have an immediate opportunity to reclaim the place with a three-match series in Australia on the horizon, according to an ICC statement here on Tuesday.

Chance for England

Meanwhile, a 2-0 win for England would help it overtake Sri Lanka to the fourth slot in the standings, which Australia leads with 130 points.

Among the batsmen, sixth placed Pietersen is the highest-ranked player participating in the India-England series and he can break back into the top five with a good display in these two matches.

For the four India batsmen in top 20 — Virender Sehwag (10th), V.V.S. Laxman (14th), Sachin Tendulkar (17th) and Gautam Gambhir (18th) — it will be a good opportunity to climb up the ladder and make it to the top 10.

Only Indian in top 10

On the bowling front, spinner Harbhajan Singh, the only Indian figuring in top 10 at No. 7, will certainly try to put up good shows during the series, while in-form left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan (20th) can also improve his standing.

Focus will also be on England’s Monty Panesar, who with pitches expected to help the tweakers, will be keen to break into the top 10 from his current position at 11th. — PTI

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