A groundbreaking day for India as cricket star Jasprit Bumrah ascends to the summit of ICC Men’s Test Bowler rankings, solidifying his status as the world’s best fast bowler. Bumrah’s remarkable performance of 9/91 in the second Test against England in Vizag not only secured a series-equalling victory but also made him the first Indian quick to claim the No.1 Test ranking.
The Player of the Match accolade in the second Test, coupled with a three-place jump on the rankings, allowed Bumrah to dethrone teammate Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin, who held the top spot since March last year, now takes the third position.
Despite being sidelined in the Proteas’ Test series in New Zealand, Kagiso Rabada maintains his second-place standing. This achievement marks Bumrah’s first time at the top, despite a stellar career that includes 10 five-wicket hauls from 34 Test matches.
Bumrah’s outstanding 2024 performances, including figures of 6/61 against South Africa and 6/45 against England, underline his dominance. He joins an elite group, becoming the fourth Indian player and the first fast bowler to lead the Test bowling charts, following in the footsteps of Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Bishan Bedi.
Teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal also steals the spotlight, climbing 37 places to 29th in the Test batter rankings after a spectacular double century in the Vizag Test against England.
Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya and Asitha Fernando make strides on the Test bowling ranks, while Ben Stokes and Axar Patel move up in the Test all-rounders list.
Shifting to the ODI scene, Australia’s Adam Zampa rises to third place in the bowling rankings, with Sean Abbott catapulting 35 places to equal 33rd. Pakistan’s Babar Azam maintains his lead in the ODI batter rankings, accompanied by India’s Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.
In the batter rankings, Australia’s Steve Smith reclaims second place, as Zak Crawley moves up eight spots to 22nd after impressive innings in the 70s against India. Excitement ensues as the cricket world witnesses these dynamic changes in the rankings, setting the stage for an exhilarating season ahead.
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