ICC Test Player Rankings: Azhar Ali joins Sachin Tendulkar in 10th position

By Rizwan Khatik - Wed Feb 08, 1:35 pm

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s young gun Azhar Ali has not only claimed a career-best ranking but has also achieved the distinction of sharing 10th position with India’s iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen which were updated after the Dubai Test that finished on Monday.

Azhar Ali scored 157 in Pakistan’s second innings score of 365 which set England a target of 324. England finished 71 runs short when they were was bowled out for 252 to suffer a 3-0 whitewash – their first against Pakistan in 22 series.

For making his highest first-class score, Azhar was not only declared the man of the match but was also rewarded with a jump of 12 places in the batting table which has given him a place alongside Tendulkar. For someone like Azhar Ali, who was first picked as a fast bowler in the Pakistan Under-19 squad in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2002, this is a huge turnaround in his career.

Azhar, who was shortlisted for the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year Award at the ICC Awards in London in 2011, featured in a match-winning 216-run third wicket partnership with Pakistan’s most experienced batsman Younus Khan.

Younus’ contribution in that stand was 127, which was his 20th Test century. For this, the 34-year-old has made a jump of five places which puts him back in the fifth position. Younus had dropped six places to 10th spot after the Abu Dhabi Test following scores of 24 and one.