Philander displaces Steyn as No. 1 Test bowler

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Philander displaces Steyn as No. 1 Test bowler​

Vernon Philander, the South Africa fast bowler, has displaced his team-mate Dale Steyn at the top of the ICC Test bowlers' rankings. Philander moved to the top after a fine showing in Johannesburg, bringing to an end Steyn's 186-match run at No. 1 - the second most by any bowler after Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, whom Steyn overtook to the top in July 2009.

Philander, who picked up a four-for against India in the first innings and then three in the second, said that being part of a quality squad had put him at an advantage. "It has been a great couple of years for our squad. What has been the most pleasing has been the all-round contribution from everyone in the squad, that has been the main reason for our success," he said. "Needless to say, it is always easier to be at the top of your game and successful when you are part of a winning team."

In the batting rankings, West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who hit a century and a half-century in the three-Test series against New Zealand to finish with 256 runs at 64.00, moved up two places to No. 3. Ross Taylor, who topped the run-scoring charts in the series having hit a century in each of the three Tests, also moved up two spots to a career-best No. 4.