Jasprit Bumrah has made history by claiming the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings following an exceptional performance in the second match of the ICC World Test Championship series against England in Visakhapatnam. This accomplishment establishes him as the first Indian fast bowler to achieve this distinction.
The 30-year-old’s remarkable achievement comes after an impressive display, securing a total of nine wickets in the match. Bumrah’s rise to the top ranking puts him in the company of renowned Indian spinners Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Bishan Singh Bedi, making him the fourth Indian player to attain this milestone.
His notable bowling figures, including a noteworthy 6/61 against South Africa in Cape Town earlier in the year and an outstanding 6/45 against England in the recent encounter, not only secured his top position but also played a crucial role in India’s 106-run victory in Visakhapatnam, leveling the five-match series.
Bumrah’s ascent to the summit ends Ashwin’s 11-month tenure as the Player of the Match. Despite having achieved ten five-wicket hauls in his 34 Test matches for India, Bumrah had never risen beyond the third position in the rankings until now.
With 881 rating points, Bumrah surpasses the ratings of both Ashwin (904) and Jadeja (899), solidifying his status as the leading bowler from India. Notably, Ashwin and Jadeja jointly held the top position in March 2017. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, a pace bowler, maintains his second position in the rankings, despite missing the Test series against New Zealand. In the same series, Ashwin’s comparatively subdued performance, securing only three wickets, leads to his descent to the third position after holding the top spot since March of the previous year. Jasprit Bumrah’s historic accomplishment adds another significant chapter to India’s cricketing triumphs, particularly in the domain of Test bowling.
