James Anderson scripts history, becomes number one ranked Test bowler
England pacer James Anderson is the new number-one ranked bowler in the latest ICC Test Rankings. Anderson (40y 207d) has become the oldest bowler to hold the top spot since Australian legend Clarrie Grimmett in 1936. Meanwhile, Indian ace Ravindra Jadeja retained his number one spot among all-rounders while moving up seven places to ninth among bowlers. Here are more details.
Anderson runs riot at Bay Oval
Anderson ran down New Zealand's batting line-up in the first of two-match Test series at Bay Oval. The right-arm pacer claimed figures of 3/36 and 4/18 as England beat NZ by 267 runs. Anderson, England's record wicket-taker in Tests, now holds 682 scalps in 178 matches at 25.94. He ranks third among all-time wicket-takers in Tests behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).
Anderson dethrones Cummins to claim the top spot
Anderson ended Australian speedster Pat Cummins' four-year reign as the top-ranked bowler in Tests. As stated, he is now the oldest bowler to bag the number-one spot since 1936. Anderson (866) currently has a slender lead over second-placed Ravichandran Ashwin (864), with Cummins (858) seated third. Ashwin bagged successive three-fers against Australia in the Delhi Test while Cummins managed figures of 1/41.
Anderson scripts these records
Notably, this is the sixth time that Anderson has held the number one spot in Test Bowling rankings. He first rose to the apex back in May 2016 as he breezed past Stuart Broad and Ashwin. His most recent move to the top was in 2018, which he held for five months before losing to South Africa's Kagiso Rabada in November of that year.
Indian players make gains
Jadeja took 10 wickets against Australia in Delhi, including career-best figures in the second innings. He gained seven spots to be ninth among bowlers. His teammate, Axar Patel, scored a valiant 74 to move two places to fifth among all-rounders. It was his second successive fifty of the series, having scored a career-best 84 in Nagpur.
A look at the other players' movements
New Zealand's Devon Conway (17th) and Tom Blundell (11th) rose to career-high spots in the rankings for batsmen. Opener Conway scored a gritty 77 in the first Test against England, while wicket-keeper batter Blundell notched his fourth Test ton. England's batting trio Ben Duckett (38th), Ollie Pope (23rd), and Harry Brook (31st) also achieved career-high rankings. Notably, Brook scored twin fifties at Bay Oval.
