 "ICC Test bowlers rankings: Ashwin back at top, displaces another Indian")
The see-saw battle between Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin for the numero uno position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings has taken a new turn. The off-spinner has replaced the pace bowler to become the number-one bowler in the latest rankings released by the ICC on Wednesday, March 13.
Ashwin, after finishing with a nine-wicket match haul in his 100th Test match where he took four for 51 and five for 77 against England in both innings respectively at Dharamsala, also became the bowler with the best figures in his 100th Test. With match figures of 9/128, he broke Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of figures of 9/141.
This is now the sixth stint for Ashwin at the top of the rankings as he first became number one in December 2015.
What is Kuldeep Yadav’s Test bowling ranking?
Kuldeep Yadav, who was player of the match in the Dharamsala Test for his five-wicket haul in the first innings, is now ranked 16th in the Test bowlers rankings. This is the best ranking for the left-arm chinaman bowler who became the fastest Indian in terms of balls bowled to pick fifty wickets in Tests.
Hazlewood at number two in Test rankings
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Not only was Bumrah replaced from the number one position, but he also slid further to number three after missing the Ranchi Test and picking only two wickets in Dharamsala.
Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, who picked six wickets in the Christchurch Test against New Zealand has now moved to the second position to equal his best-ever career rankings, achieved in February 2017. The Aussie pacer has taken 35 wickets at 15.31 in the 2023-24 season so far.