Gibbs and Gayle top Ceat Cricket Ratings

Mumbai, January 3, 2003: The start of the new year hasn't been auspicious for India and Rahul Dravid. Not only did they lose the third One-dayer at Christchurch to go 0-3 down in the series, but their vice-captain lost his top spot in the CEAT Cricket Rating Batsmen's table to the South African Herschelle Gibbs, whose innings of 228 against the Pakistanis at Cape Town earned him 18 points.

Dravid now holds the second spot in both the overall as well as the batsmen's rating. He remains one spot and one point behind Chris Gayle in the overall rating, and is two points behind Gibbs in the batting table.

The bowling table tells a much more pleasant story as far as the Indians are concerned. Harbhajan Singh, ranked seventh in the overall player rating, maintains his lead in the bowlers' rating with 54 points. Behind him in the second position with 44 points is Zaheer Khan, who had two five-wicket hauls in the Test matches in New Zealand.

On the team front, the Australians are firmly in control, dominating the CEAT Team rating with a total of 74 points. Behind them are two-time toppers South Africa with 70 points, and the West Indies with 62. India is ranked fourth with 60, and even if Sourav Ganguly and his boys perform a miracle by winning the last four matches in New Zealand, they will not be able to wrest back the top spot.

Unless of course, the Indian cricket team decides to give its fans a New Year gift, in the form of the World Cup.