Jasprit Bumrah Reclaims Top Spot in ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has surged back to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings, leading India to a commanding 295-run victory over Australia in the opening match of the ICC World Test Championship series in Perth. Bumrah's outstanding performance, claiming figures of 5/30 and 3/42, propelled him past rivals Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada. With a career-high 883 rating points, Bumrah has achieved the highest tally ever for an Indian pace bowler in ICC rankings. Among Indian bowlers, only spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (904) and Ravindra Jadeja (899) have recorded higher ratings.

This marks the third time in 2024 that Bumrah has held the number one spot in the rankings. Earlier in the year, he was ranked at the top during February and October, each time for a one-month stretch.

Indian Team Shines in Dominant Perth Test Win

India's emphatic victory was highlighted by standout performances across the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed 161 in the second innings, has risen to a career-best second position in the Test batting rankings, overtaking stalwarts like Harry Brook and Kane Williamson. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, with a crucial unbeaten 100, climbed nine spots to secure the 13th position, re-entering the top 20 after a decade-long consistency at the top levels.

Other Indian players also saw significant progress:

KL Rahul moved from 60th to 49th in the batting rankings.

Rising star Nitish Kumar Reddy made his debut in the batting rankings at 74th position.

Pacer Mohammad Siraj advanced three places to claim the 25th spot in bowling rankings.

Australian Players Experience Mixed Outcomes

On the Australian side, Travis Head showcased his resilience with a gritty 89 in the second innings, reclaiming his place in the top 10 batters. Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey moved up to 39th, and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh gained 10 places to rank 68th among bowlers. However, Steve Smith, after a rare failure with scores of 0 and 17, has dropped to seventh place, his lowest ranking since December 2014.

West Indies and Bangladesh Players Make Strides

The West Indies also celebrated gains following their 201-run victory against Bangladesh in Antigua. Key performers included:

Alick Athanaze, who climbed 18 places to reach 62nd after scores of 90 and 42.

Justin Greaves and Mikyle Louis, who made significant jumps to 81st and joint-86th, respectively.

In the bowling rankings, Jayden Seales reached a career-best 11th, while Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph climbed to 17th and 29th, respectively.

For Bangladesh, Liton Das and Mominul Haque inched up in the batting rankings to 32nd and 47th, while Taskin Ahmed, thanks to his 6/64 haul in the second innings, moved up to 51st among bowlers.

Rashid Khan and Saim Ayub Shine in ODI Rankings

In the ODI arena, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan has reclaimed the top spot in the bowling rankings, capitalizing on Shaheen Shah Afridi's absence during Pakistan's Zimbabwe tour. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Saim Ayub soared 80 places to secure the 90th position after his blistering 113 not out off 62 balls.

India Tops ICC World Test Championship Table

India’s victory in Perth also sees them leap to the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings with an impressive 61.11 percentage points. Australia follows closely in second place with 57.69 percentage points, setting the stage for an intense series ahead.