LAHORE: Sachin Tendulkar has surged to the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen, for the first time since 2002. Tendulkar’s heroics in the Test series against Australia earned him 82 rating points, taking him to 891, 17 clear of Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara in the second spot. Virender Sehwag, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Mahela Jayawardene completed the top five.

This is the tenth time Tendulkar has become the top-ranked Test batsman in the world, and the first since the new ratings system came into place. He held the position for the first time in 1994, ahead of consistent runs at the top in the late 90s and early 2000s. His ascension comes close on the heels of his inning the ICC Cricketer of the Year award. Tendulkar has enjoyed a windfall 2010, topping the run charts with 1270 runs, inclusive of four centuries and two double-hundreds. With India set to play three Tests against New Zealand at home and three Tests in South Africa in the immediate future, Tendulkar has the opportunity to better his career-best rating of 898 and become the 26th batsman to cross the 900-point mark.

List of dates when Sachin Tendulkar claimed top spot:

Nov 18, 1994 (34 & 85 v WI in Mumbai)

Mar 6, 1998 (4 & 155 v Aus in Chennai)

Oct 15, 1998 (By default, above Steve Waugh)

Dec 26, 1998 (47 &113 v NZ in Wellington)

Jan 28, 1998 (0 & 136 v Pak in Chennai)

May 18, 2000 (By default, above Brian Lara)

Feb 21, 2002 (176 v Zimbabwe in Nagpur)

Aug 22, 2002 (193 v England in Leeds)

Oct 13, 2010 (212 & 53* v Aus in Bangalore).