Dubai, Nov 27 – India’s star fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings, following a spectacular performance in the first Test of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against Australia in Perth. Bumrah, who bowled brilliantly with figures of five for 30 and three for 42, led India to a resounding 295-run victory, overtaking Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada to secure the No.1 ranking.
Bumrah’s career-best 883 rating points mark the highest ever achieved by an Indian seam bowler in the history of the rankings. The only Indian bowlers to have recorded higher rating points are spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (904) and Ravindra Jadeja (899).
This is the third time this year that Bumrah has topped the ICC Test rankings. He was ranked No.1 for two separate one-month periods, first in February and again in October.
India’s dominant performance in the series opener in Perth is also reflected in the rise of several other players in the rankings. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played a stellar knock of 161 runs in the second innings, has moved up to a career-best second position, surpassing England’s Harry Brook and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Former captain Virat Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 100, has climbed nine places to 13th, marking his return to the top 20 after falling outside it for the first time in a decade.
KL Rahul has moved up from 60th to 49th in the batting rankings, while Nitish Kumar Reddy has made his debut in the rankings at 74th position. On the bowling front, pacer Mohammad Siraj has gained three places, rising to 25th in the rankings.
Australia’s Travis Head, who scored a valiant 89 in the second innings, has returned to the top 10, while his teammates Alex Carey (up one place to 39th) and Mitchell Marsh (up 10 places to 68th) have also made progress. However, Steve Smith, after a disappointing performance (scores of 0 and 17), has dropped to seventh place, his lowest ranking since December 2014.
In other notable updates, the West Indies players have seen significant improvements in the rankings following their 201-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test at North Sound. Alick Athanaze’s contributions with scores of 90 and 42 have propelled him 18 places up to 62nd. Meanwhile, seamers Jayden Seales (up three places to 11th), Kemar Roach (up four places to 17th), and Alzarri Joseph (up three places to 29th) have all climbed in the bowling rankings.
For Bangladesh, Liton Das and Mominul Haque have moved up one place each to 32nd and 47th, respectively. Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed’s impressive six-wicket haul in the second innings has seen him climb from 67th to 51st in the bowling rankings.
In the ODI rankings, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan has regained the top spot in the bowling rankings after Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi was rested for their Zimbabwe tour. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s rising star, Saim Ayub, has surged 80 places to 90th in the ODI batting rankings after scoring a blistering 113 not out off 62 balls.
India Top the ICC World Test Championship Standings
India’s comprehensive win in Perth has lifted them to the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings with 61.11 percentage points. Australia, who have slipped to second position, are now on 57.69 percentage points.
