Kohli retains top ODI spot, Root shoots to No.2
Dubai, July 18: India skipper Virat Kohli held on to his No.1 spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI player rankings for batsmen, but had a new man just after him with England Test skipper Joe Root vaulting to the No.2 spot at the end of the three-match rubber.
Root struck two centuries -- 113 not out in the second game and 100 not out in the third, to average 216 in England's 2-1 triumph and jump four spots to the No.2 spot in the rankings.
According to an ICC release, Root's 818 ratings points, however, isn't the best in his career. The 819 he had after the Brisbane ODI against Australia earlier this year, when he followed up his 91 not out in Melbourne with 46 not, remains his best.
Kohli's India lost the series, but the captain was in good nick, registering scores of 75, 45 and 71 to total 191 runs at an average of 63.66. That not only helped him hold on to the top spot, but also gave him his career-best rating points: 911.
With Root moving up, other top batsmen had to make way. Pakistan's Babar Azam moved down one spot to No.3, the out-of-action David Warner slipped two spots to fifth, while Ross Taylor went down one position to No. 6. Rohit Sharma, however, stayed at No.4, with his 137 not out in the first ODI helping his cause.
Two wrist-spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Adil Rashid, also had memorable series.
Rashid, the England leg-spinner, had six wickets in the three games, and the 3/49 in the final fixture took him to a career-high 681 rating points.
There was no movement up the ladder for him, though, as he remained in the eighth spot.
There were no changes in the top five -- Jasprit Bumrah, Rashid Khan, Hasan Ali, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood -- but Kuldeep soared eight spots following his chart-topping nine wickets in the series to get to No.6.
The Indian left-armer ended the series with 684 rating points after having achieved a career-high earlier in the series following returns of 6/25 and 3/68.
Elsewhere, the Zimbabwe versus Pakistan ODI series is still on, but the high performers have started to rise up the table.
The stars for Pakistan in the first two ODIs have been Fakhar Zaman (177 runs) and Imam-ul-Haq (172 runs) with the bat and Usman Shinwari (6 wickets) with the ball.
While Zaman has moved up 14 positions to No.24 with a career-best 639 points -- joint with Alex Hales -- Imam, still only six ODIs old, is at No.94, a gain of an astounding 70 spots.
Shinwari, too, has gone up 66 spots to No.94 among the bowlers.
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My budget is well within fiscal discipline: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday rejected the BJP's criticism that the state budget was debt-driven and favoured only one section, asserting that the government has maintained fiscal discipline within the limits prescribed by law.
Siddaramaiah, who also holds finance portfolio, on Friday presented his record 17th budget in the Karnataka Assembly with an outlay of Rs 4.48 lakh crore.
Speaking to reporters, the chief minister defended the state's borrowing and said development cannot take place without raising funds while adhering to fiscal norms.
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"Let them say how much debt Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Centre has taken. Development cannot be achieved without borrowing," Siddaramaiah said.
He said the state government had remained within the limits set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003
"What does the Fiscal Responsibility Act say? It says the debt should be within 25 per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Our debt is 24.94 per cent. Is it within 25 per cent or more than that? Perhaps it would be good if they read the Fiscal Responsibility Act," he said.
Siddaramaiah also compared the state's fiscal indicators with those of the Union government and criticised the BJP leadership.
"Do you know how much debt the Centre has? Does Ashoka know? It is Rs 218 lakh crore. Do you know how much debt they have taken in 11 years after coming to power? Rs 165 lakh crore," he said, referring to Karnataka BJP leader R Ashoka.
He added that while the country's fiscal deficit stood at 4.4 per cent, Karnataka's fiscal deficit was within limits.
"Do you know what our fiscal deficit is? 2.95 per cent. That means it is within 3 per cent of GDP," the chief minister said, noting that Karnataka's gross domestic product was about Rs 33.5 lakh crore.
Rejecting allegations that the budget favoured only certain communities, Siddaramaiah said the government's focus was on inclusive development.
"We have worked to ensure social justice. We have worked to provide equal opportunities to everyone -- Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes, or minorities. A budget is meant for the development of the entire state," he said.
He also alleged that changes in the GST regime had affected the state's finances.
"Because the GST amendment was made and the system was nationalised, we lost about Rs 10,000 crore," he said, adding that scrapping the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has also made it difficult for the government.
Asked whether he would present two more budgets to reach a milestone of 19 budgets, Siddaramaiah said the decision rested with the party leadership.
"If the high command gives me the opportunity, I will present them," he said.
He added that he would abide by whatever decision the leadership of the Indian National Congress takes.
"Ultimately, the high command has to make a decision. If they ask me to step aside, I will step aside. If they ask me to continue, I will continue," the chief minister said.
