India's Jasprit Bumrah continues to headline Test cricket as he has become the first Indian pacer to reach the top of the ICC bowler's rankings in the longest format, informed the world's cricket governing body on Wednesday, February 7.
Bumrah, who took nine wickets in the second Test against England at Viazg with figures of 6/45 in the first innings, leapfrogged Australia's Pat Cummins, South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and compatriot Ravichandran Ashwin to the top spot in the latest rankings released by ICC.
Thanks to this feat, the Gujarat-born player is now only the fourth player from India to attain the number one position after spinners Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Bishan Singh Bedi.
Bumrah replaces Ashwin at the top
Bumrah, 30, ended Ashwin's 11-month-long reign as the world's number-one Test bowler. This is a new feather in an already decorated cap of Bumrah, who had become the fastest Indian pacer and second fastest in Asia to reach the milestone of 150 Test wickets in his 34th Test. He was only behind Pakistan's Waqar Younis.
Bumrah at the top of ICC Test Bowler's Rankings
Bumrah at the top of ICC Test Bowler's Rankings
Indian players' movement in latest ICC rankings
The top two Indian spinners fell by two points each as Ashwin moved to the third spot while Jadeja is placed jointly in the ninth position with England’s Ollie Robinson. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has moved up four places to 45th position.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, the double centurion from Visakhapatnam, moved 37 places up to 29th. Gill, who scored a century in the second innings, is placed in the 38th position after moving 14 places up.