Ravi Ashwin overtakes Yasir Shah to become number 1 in ICC Test bowling rankings

Team India’s off-spinner Ravi Ashwin has regained the number one spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test ranking for bowlers. Ashwin was instrumental in India’s win over West Indies in the first Test at Antigua. The spinner picked 7 for 83 in the second innings against Windies to set up an innings and 92-run win for India.

Ashwin has rating points of 876 just one above second-placed James Anderson. England’s Stuart Broad and South Africa’s Dale Steyn are at third and fourth position respectively. Yasir Shah, who after his ten-wicket haul at Lord’s climbed to number one position, now drops to fifth place. The leggie had a mediocre outing against England in the second Test and managed to pick only one wicket.

Apart from Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja is the only Indian to feature in top ten rankings for Tests. The off-spinner not only regained the top spot in bowling, but Ashwin also cemented his place as top-ranked all-rounder in Tests due to his century.

According to a media release by ICC, Ashwin gained five points after India’s first Test against West Indies. Interestingly no Indian batsman is ranked in top ten in Tests. Skipper Virat Kohli, who gained two points after his maiden double century, is at the 12th spot. The next best Indian batsmen are Murali Vijay at 17th and Cheteshwar Pujara at 18th. Opener Shikhar Dhawan saw a jump of four points after his knock of 84 and is ranked 30.

With as many as six teams currently involved in Test cricket, the ranking is likely to change as we proceed. It will be interesting to see how long Ashwin, who picked his first five-wicket haul outside the Indian sub-continent, holds on to numero uno position.

Source:India.com

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