ICC Test Rankings: Jasprit Bumrah races to career-best top spot
Jasprit Bumrah has raced to a career-best top spot in the latest ICC Test Rankings for Bowlers. After a defining showing in the second Test versus England in Vizag, Bumrah has risen to the number one spot for the first time in his career. He displaced team-mate Ravichandran Ashwinto become the fourth Indian to seal top spot in ICC Test Rankings history.
Bumrah clocked nine scalps, including 6/45 in England's first innings
Bumrah managed 9/91 in the match versus England, taking his 10th five-wicket haul in the first innings (6/45). He bowled with a lot of venom and got some prized scalps in the process. In the match, Bumrah became the fastest Indian pacer to 150 Test scalps. He registered the best bowling figures (6/45) for an Indian pacer in a home Test match since 2000.
First-ever bowler with this feat
As per Cricket Statistician Rajneesh Gupta, Bumrah became the first-ever bowler to take nine wickets in India-England Tests in both countries. The Indian pacer recorded figures worth 9/110 in the 2021 Nottingham Test. He scalped four and five wickets, respectively, in two innings. Notably, the match ended in a draw.
Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in 2024 (Tests)
Bumrah owns 155 scalps from 34 matches at an average of 20.19. In nine matches versus England, the right-arm pacer has tallied 56 scalps at 20.87. He registered his third five-wicket haul against England. At home, Bumrah averages a stellar 13.06 in Tests. Notably, he owns the most wickets in Tests this year (23). He is also the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing series.
Bumrah leads the show, Ashwin drops to third place
Bumrah has raced to 881 rating points with Ashwin dropping two places to third (841). Ashwin has been ordinary in the ongoing series and has seen Kagiso Rabada overtaking him. Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, who took 3/67 and 5/107 in the one-off Test versus Afghanistan, has jumped to sixth. James Anderson climbed one spot to 7th with Nathan Lyon displacing Ravindra Jadeja at 8th.
First Indian pacer to top the ICC Test Rankings (bowling)
As mentioned, Bumrah is just the fourth player from India to occupy the first place. He is also the first Indian pacer to top the bowling charts. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Bishan Bedi are the only players from India to have clocked this feat.
What about the batters?
India's Yashasvi Jaiswal, who slammed a career-best 209, climbed 37 places to 29th on the latest rankings for Test batters. Kane Williamson leads the way with 864 points. He hammered two successive tons in the first match versus South Africa that concluded today. Australia's Steve Smith re-claimed second place as England's Joe Root dropped to third. Zak Crawley improved eight spots to 22nd.
