Star England batter Joe Root reclaimed the top position in the ICC men’s Test rankings within a week of losing it while India’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja climbed to the 34th spot in the latest list released here on Wednesday.
Lord’s Heroics Power Root’s Ranking Surge
Root’s scores of 104 and 40 during the third Test of the five-match series against India at Lord’s that England won by 22 runs assisted him in beginning his eighth stint as No. 1 Test batter. At 34, he is the oldest player to reach the No. 1 Test batter ranking since Kumar Sangakkara in December 2014 when the Sri Lankan was 37 years old. Root lost his top ranking to fellow Englishman Harry Brook, who has dropped behind Kane Williamson to third place.
Among the Indian batsmen, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and vice-captain Rishabh Pant have slipped down a notch each and are now fifth and eighth respectively, while captain Shubman Gill too has slipped three places to ninth.
Jadeja and KL Rahul Climb Up
But Jadeja has moved up five places to 34th following scores of 72 and a battling 61 not out at Lord’s. KL Rahul, who scored 100 and 39 in the same game, has also moved up five places and is now one place behind Jadeja on 35th.
England skipper Ben Stokes’ match-winning performance of 77 runs and five wickets at the Lord’s have pushed him two spots to 42nd among the batters and one place to 45th among bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah Remains Top Test Bowler
Indian fast bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is still ruling the Test bowling table, holding the number one spot with a whopping 50-point advantage over South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.
Australian pace bowler Scott Boland has made a big leap, up six places to a career-high sixth position.
Bolland, whose 62 Test wickets have cost just 16.53 each with only ICC Hall of Famers George Lohmann and Sydney Barnes having captured wickets at a superior average, joins his four compatriots already in the top 10 Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc.
Australia’s Bowling Dominance Mirrors 1958 England
This type of domination hasn’t been witnessed since England boasted six bowlers in the top 12 in 1958.
India all-rounder Washington Sundar has gone from 58th to 46th.
