Clarke reclaims top spot in ICC's Test player rankings

Sydney, Mar 31(ANI): Australia Test captain Michael Clarke has surged two places to the top of the new International Cricket Council Test player rankings, after piling loads of runs this summer in Test cricket.

Clarke is right now in Barbados, preparing for the upcoming series against the West Indies.

South African AB De Villiers joins Clarke at the top, with both the players having 821 points each, followed by another South African Jacques Kallis with 819 points.

Clarke has been at the apex of the ICC list once before, in August 2009 after scoring 93 against England at Headingley. After a series whitewash of India decorated by his 329 not out in Sydney, there wasn't any scope of argument left about him reclaiming the top spot.

He is back at No.1 position due to the previous leader, Kumar Sangakkara, making zero and 14 in Sri Lanka's win over England in Galle.

Clarke believes the past one-year has been fantastic for the Australian team, but feels his team needs to be more consistent.

"It's been a great 12 months. We've obviously played some outstanding cricket, and there have been some patches in the past 12 months where we haven't been as consistent as we would like," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Clarke, as saying.Overall we've grown as a team, I think we've come a long way," he added.

Australia continues their pursuit for the world's No.1 Test ranking when the three-match series in the Caribbean starts next Saturday. (ANI)