R Ashwin returned with nine wickets in his 100th Test appearance against England in Dharamsala last week. As a result, the veteran spinner reclaimed top spot from teammate Jasprit Bumrah on the latest ICC Test Bowling Rankings.
Ashwin at his absolute best in Dharamsala, wreaking havoc on the English batting line-up in both innings of the fifth Test. While the off-spinner took four wickets in the first innings, he picked up his 36th five-wicket haul in the second essay to script India’s innings and 64-run victory.
The big haul helped Ashwin move past Bumrah into the pole position that he previously held earlier this year. Bumrah is now sharing the second spot with Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood, who claimed six scalps in the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Ashwin's Indian teammate Kuldeep Yadav has also gained places following his seven wickets and Player of the Match heroics against England. The left-arm wrist-spinner leapfrogged 15 spots to 16th overall on the latest Test rankings for bowlers.
Indian batters also made big strides in the batting rankings after stunning display in the Dharamsala Test, with skipper Rohit Sharma (103), fellow top-order performer Shubman Gill (110) and young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) rewarded for their efforts.
Rohit rises five places to sixth and closes to within 108 rating points of No.1 ranked Test batter Kane Williamson, while Jaiswal (up two places to eighth) and Gill (up 11 spots to equal 20th) reach new career-best ratings following exceptional individual series against England.
Australia veteran Steve Smith slipped to fifth following a pair of failures in the second Test against New Zealand, with Pakistan right-hander Babar Azam (up two places) and Kiwi batter Daryl Mitchell (up one spot) sharing third behind Williamson and England's Joe Root in second.
Australia duo Alex Carey (up 12 places to 38th) and Mitch Marsh (up eight spots to 55th) also advanced on the list for Test batters, while New Zealand youngster Rachin Ravindra also earned a career-best rating following a 10-spot jump to 66th.
India spinner Ravindra Jadeja remains well out in front of second-placed Ashwin on the updated list for Test all-rounders, with Australia skipper Pat Cummins (up two places to eighth) and Henry (up six spots to 11th) among the big movers.
(With ICC Inputs)
