Dravid, Kumble saving face as Indian disappoints in rankings

Dubai, May 15 (UNI) Indian batting was a big let down in the latest LG ICC player rankings with only Rahul Dravid, eighth, managing to make the cut in top 20 of the batsmen's leaderboard.

Things were, however, better in the bowling department with fellow Kannadiga, Anil Kumble, occupying the third slot in the list while left-arm and left out Irfan Pathan (16th) also making it in the top 20. Interestingly, Pathan also finds his name in the all-rounders' list where he is at fifth spot.

In the team's rankings, India, thanks to a better show in the the longer version of the game of late, were fourth with 107 points, a point adrift of Pakistan.

India will have a real chance of equalling, if not surpassing, their western neighbours when they take on Bangladesh in a two-Test away series beginning from May 18 in Chittagong.

Bangladesh (2) are placed at the bottom in the rankings led by Australia (135).

Meanwhile, second-placed England look overwhelming favourites on paper when they take on eighth-placed West Indies in the four-Test series starting tomorrow at Lord's.

The batting table is topped by Australia's Ricky Ponting, closely followed by Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan with Kevin Pietersen in third place.

Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka heads the bowling list ahead of South Africa's Makhaya Ntini and Kumble.

Rank: Team: 1. Australia (135), 2. England (114), 3. Pakistan (108), 4.

India (107), 5. Sri Lanka (102), 6. South Africa (102), 7. New Zealand (93), 8. West Indies (72), 9. Zimbabwe (28), 10. Bangladesh (2) Batsmen: 1. Ricky Ponting (Aus, 936), 2. Mohd Yousuf (Pak, 915), 3. Kevin Pietersen (Eng, 870), 4. K C Sangakkara (SL, 857), 5. Mike Hussey (Aus, 842), 6. Matthew Hayden (Aus, 828), 7. Jacques Kallis (SA, 820), 8. Rahul Dravid (Ind, 816), 9. Younis Khan (Pak, 789), 10.

Ashwell Prince (SA, 755) Bowlers: 1. M Muralitharan (SL, 913), 2. Makhaya Ntini (SA, 856), 3.

Anil Kumble (Ind, 731), 4. Shaun Pollock (SA, 730), 5. Matt'w Hoggard (Eng, 725), 6. Shane Bond (NZ, 722), 7. Stuart Clark (Aus, 720), 8. Mohd Asif (Pak, 710), 9. Andrew Flintoff (Eng, 708), 10.

Shoaib Akhtar (Pak, 698) All-rounders: 1. Jacques Kallis (SA, 462), 2. Andrew Flintoff (Eng, 416), 3. Shaun Pollock (SA, 356), 4. Daniel Vettori (NZ, 329), 5.

Irfan Pathan (Ind, 254) UNI