Babar maintains top spot in latest ICC ODI rankings

Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah clinched the No.1 spot on the latest ICC Men’s Test Bowler rankings on Wednesday.

The right-armer become the first pacer from India to claim the top Test ranking.

Bumrah bagged top spot after impressive match figures of 9/91 during his side’s series-equalling 106-run win over England in the second Test in Vizag.

“The nine-wicket haul saw Bumrah earn Player of the Match honours in the second Test and climb three places on the latest Test rankings for bowlers to claim top spot from teammate Ravichandran Ashwin,” the ICC said in a press release.

‘Ashwin – who has held the premier ranking since March last year – managed just three wickets for India in that same match and drops two places to third on the updated rankings for Test bowlers, with South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada maintaining his place in second despite sitting out the Proteas’ Test series in New Zealand.

“It is the first time Bumrah has held the top ranking, with the 30-year-old having never been previously higher than third despite a total of 10 five-wicket hauls for his country from 34 Test match appearances.

“Two of those five-wicket hauls have come in Test matches in 2024 for Bumrah, with the India pacer collecting figures of 6/61 against South Africa in Cape Town at the start of the year and then an equally impressive spel of 6/45 in his most recent appearance against England.

“Bumrah is just the fourth player from India – and first fast bowler – to top the bowling charts, with Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bishan Bedi, the only players from the Asian country to have done so previously.”

Bumrah’s teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal also improved his rankings after his magnificent double ton during the first innings of that Vizag Test against England.

“Jaiswal helped setup the victory with a career-best 209 to start the match and the youngster climbed 37 places to 29th on the latest rankings for Test batters, with New Zealand veteran Kane Williamson still leading the way at the head of proceedings,” the press release added.

“Australia’s Steve Smith re-claimed second place on the batter rankings as England’s Joe Root dropped to third, while compatriot Zak Crawley improved eight spots to 22nd following two innings in the 70s against India.”