 |
|
The latest ICC Test Rankings, released on Wednesday, witnessed a shake-up at the top, with Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah reclaiming his position as the world's number one Test bowler. This marks Bumrah's second time attaining the top spot, achieved on the back of his impressive performance during India's recent 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Kanpur. Bumrah snagged six wickets throughout the match, claiming three scalps in each innings, a feat acknowledged by the ICC.
His teammate, Ravichandran Ashwin, who was previously holding the top spot, narrowly missed out, securing five wickets himself in the match. Ashwin currently sits just one point behind Bumrah's rating of 870 points. Despite the close call, Ashwin's Instagram story showcased his support for Bumrah's achievement, expressing it with a simple yet powerful message: "You belong here."
Beyond the top two positions, the rankings saw further movement. Bangladesh, encouraged by the recent advancements of their players, saw notable improvements from Mehidy Hasan, who climbed four spots to 18th, and veteran spinner Shakib Al Hasan, who moved up five places to 28th. This shift reflects their rising performance on the international stage.
The spotlight, however, remained on India following their dominant series sweep against Bangladesh. This victory propelled them further ahead in the World Test Championship standings, strengthening their position to reach the final for the third consecutive time. Contributing significantly to India's success was young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was named Player of the Match in the rain-affected Test against Bangladesh. Jaiswal's impressive scores of 72 and 51 catapulted him two places to third in the updated Test batter rankings, surpassing several seasoned players in the process.
Jaiswal now finds himself trailing only England's Joe Root and New Zealand's Kane Williamson, signifying his rapidly rising stature in the world of Test cricket. Meanwhile, another Indian player, Virat Kohli, made a strong return to the top 10 after gaining six places to reach sixth overall. This resurgence was fueled by his solid contributions of 47 and 29* against Bangladesh, highlighting his consistent form.
Beyond India's success, Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya achieved a new career-high rating, climbing one spot to share seventh place in the Test bowling rankings. This accomplishment was a direct result of his exceptional performance in the series against New Zealand, where he secured the Player of the Series award with an impressive 18 wickets. The rankings update also saw significant movement among other players, with Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis rising five places to 11th after scoring another century in their recent series against New Zealand.
Furthermore, Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka climbed the Test batter rankings, gaining six and four places respectively. Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan was a notable mover in the Test all-rounder rankings, climbing two spots to fifth, even as India's Ravindra Jadeja maintained his dominance at the top of the rankings. The latest update saw changes in the white-ball rankings as well, with Australia's Steve Smith gaining one place to reach 20th in the ODI batter rankings. England players, Harry Brook and Ben Duckett, both secured new career-high rankings in the ODI batting category, while Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer significantly improved their positions in the ODI bowling rankings. The T20I rankings also witnessed a shift, with South Africa's Reeza Hendricks climbing five places to reach 11th in the batting category. Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee, meanwhile, achieved a new career-high rating in the all-rounder rankings, moving up four places to second.
The latest ICC Rankings showcase the dynamic nature of international cricket, with players constantly striving to improve their positions. These rankings provide a snapshot of the current landscape, revealing the rising stars and the established forces shaping the future of the sport.