Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to top ICC Test bowling rankings

Jasprit Bumrah scripts history to become the first fast Indian bowler to top the ICC Test rankings. Bumrah picked up nine wickets in the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam to help his side to a series-levelling 106-run victory. As a result of Bumrah's rise, Ravichandran Ashwin, who has occupied the top spot since March last year, drops to three after managing just three wickets in the same Test.

Bumrah, therefore, becomes the fourth Indian bowler after Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bishen Singh Bedi, to be the top-ranked bowler. The 30-year-old has never been ranked above third in his career before this. 

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada is sandwiched between Bumrah and Jadeja at second despite giving the ongoing series against New Zealand a miss due to SA20 commitments.

Bumrah has been in top form in Tests of late. Two of his 10 five-wickets hauls have come in 2024. He finished with 6 for 61 against South Africa in Cape Town last month, and in the recent Test in Visakhapatnam, the pacer was at his best, finishing with 6 for 45 in the first innings. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who slammed a brilliant double century in the recent Test against England, climbed 37 places to 29th in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters, with Kane Williamson leading the way at the top, following yet another brilliant display against South Africa at the Bay Oval, where he scored tons in both innings.

With scores of 29, 2, 5 and 16, veteran England batter Joe Root drops one place to third in the rankings. He also drops two spots to sixth in the all-rounder's rankings after achieving a career-best position of fourth following after picking up five wickets in England's 28-run victory in Hyderabad.

Virat Kohli, who missed the first two Tests against England, also drops one place to seventh among the batters. He remains the only Indian representative in the top 10.