Australian Adam Gilchrist has taken over from Sachin Tendulkar as the world's top Test batsman.

Tendulkar has slipped two places to third in the PWC rankings despite scoring the 29th century of his career in the current series against West Indies.

Gilchrist is the second wicket-keeper to head the list - with Andy Flower of Zimbabwe holding the number one position for three months last year.

His elevation comes after some magnificent batting during the series in South Africa, which ended in March, when he made 473 runs in three Tests at an average of 157.67.

West Indian Brian Lara is now ranked number two, with Tendulkar just holding on to third place from Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq, who made 329 in the first Test against New Zealand in Lahore, and moves up five places to fourth.

West Indies captain Carl Hooper has also made a significant advance, rising nine places to 15th following two hundreds in his last three Tests.

There is no change at the top of the bowling rankings with Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan holding on to the number one spot from Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock.

Top 10 Test batsman

1 A Gilchrist (Aus) 881 pts
2 B Lara (WI) 877
3 S Tendulkar (Ind) 864
4 Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) 852
5 M Hayden (Aus) 836
6 M Jayawardene (SrL) 827
7 K Sangakkara (SrL) 818
8 J Kallis (SA) 783
9 A Flower (Zim) 776
10 H Gibbs (SA) 764

Others:

17 G Thorpe (Eng) 705
26 M Trescothick (Eng) 657

Top 10 Test bowlers

1 M Muralitharan (SrL) 918
2 G McGrath (Aus) 908
3 S Pollock (SA) 874
4 S Warne (Aus) 764
5 Saqlain Mushtaq (Pak) 710
6 D Gough (Eng) 702
7 Waqar Younis (Pak) 695
= A Caddick (Eng) 695
9 C Vaas (SrL) 682
10 C Cairns (NZ) 680