India overthrows Sri Lanka to be at top in Test rankings

India became the number one Test team on Sunday after defeating Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs in the third and final cricket Test in Mumbai to secure the series by 2-0.

Zaheer Khan took 5 for 72 as Sri Lanka were all out for 309 in their second innings on the fifth day's play at the Brabourne stadium. The 2-0 score line lifted India to the top of the official Test rankings with 124 rating points. Sri Lanka slips from second place to fourth with 115 points. About 10000 home fans cheered as the Indian players and the support staff hugged each other after the fall of the last wicket.

Since November 2007, India have won home series against Pakistan, Australia, England and Sri Lanka, won an away series in New Zealand, and drawn at home against South Africa. The Indians lost two away series in Australia and Sri Lanka in the same period.

India needed just 7.4 overs to wrap up Sri Lanka's second innings after they had resumed at Saturday's total of 274-6. Sri Lanka's resistance ended with the day's third delivery when Captain Kumar Sangakkara was caught behind off Zaheer for 137. Sangakkara smashed the second ball to the point fence but failed to take his bat away in time as the next delivery moved away after pitching.

Two overs later, Rangana Herath miscued a pull off Zaheer to mid-wicket where Pragyan Ojha dived in front to take a low catch and reduce Sri Lanka to 282-8. Muttiah Muralitharan and Nuwan Kulasekara hit a flurry of boundaries to lift Sri Lanka past the 300-run mark, but Zaheer was not to be denied his fifth wicket. The seamer lifted a ball outside Kulasekara's off-stump and the batsman edged a waist-high catch to Venkatsai Laxman at second slip after making 19.