Mohammed Siraj becomes top-ranked bowler in ICC ODI Rankings: Details
Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has become the top-ranked ODI bowler in the latest ICC rankings. He has been awarded for his stellar show in the recently-concluded ODI series versus New Zealand. He finished the series with five wickets in two games. Siraj went past NZ's Trent Boult and Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood to attain the pole position in the rankings. Here are further details.
Siraj goes atop the rankings
Siraj has jumped to the top with 729 rating points. The pacer is just narrowly ahead of Hazlewood with the Aussie being just two rating points behind. Siraj, with 685 rating points, was third in the rankings at the start of the series. He started the series with a match-winning four-fer in the opener. Siraj took a solitary wicket in the second game.
Sensational numbers in ODIs
Siraj made his ODI debut in 2019 against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. In a career spanning over four years, the right-arm pacer has taken 38 wickets from 21 ODIs at an average of 20.76. The tally includes an economy rate of 4.62. He owns two four-wicket hauls in the international 50-over format, which were recorded in consecutive matches earlier this month.
Siraj's emphatic numbers in the Powerplay (ODIs)
Siraj has particularly been brilliant with the new ball, and his numbers in the powerplay are nothing but jaw-dropping. Siraj has picked 25 ODI wickets in the Powerplay while averaging a mouth-dropping 14.2. He has an economy of 3.81 in this phase. Siraj claimed 16 wickets in the powerplay in 2022, the most by any bowler. Kiwi speedster Trent Boult (10) trailed him.
Most ODI wickets since 2022
Siraj returned to India's ODI setup in February last year following a three-year hiatus in the format. He has since been sensational in ODIs as his tally of 38 ODI wickets since the start of 2022 is the highest for any bowler (only full-member team players). West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein follows Siraj on the list with 30 wickets in 20 games.
Gill advances to the sixth place
Another Indian who gave the NZ a hard time in the series is Shubman Gill. He scored 360 runs in three games. The tally includes a historic double-ton and a century. The youngster has jumped a whopping 20 places in the ODI batting rankings to claim the sixth spot. He is now the highest-ranked Indian on the list, with Virat Kohli (7th) trailing him.
