Ravichandran Ashwin becomes highest ranked bowler in Tests

Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his best bowling figures overseas with an overly impressive 7/83 against the West Indies in the first Test of the four-match WI v IND Test series at Antigua. Apart from the fact that this was Ashwin’s best performance overseas, there was another incentive to the impressive performance when he overtook everyone on the official Test bowlers’ rankings to become the top-ranked bowler in the world.

Ravichandran Ashwin was thrust into a rather different role in the first Test as he played the role of the all-rounder. He came in to bat at number six, joining skipper Virat Kohli as they stitched an impressive partnership with Ashwin reaching his first century outside India and his third century against the West Indies. Ashwin has been ranked number one on the official all-rounder’s list previously as well.

Also read – Ravichandran Ashwin and the bowling all-rounder conundrum

The shock, however, on this list is the dethroning of Pakistani leg-spin sensation Yasir Shah. The 30-year old impressed in the first Test at Lord’s and broke a few records with the 10 wickets he picked up in the match. However, the fact that he was highly unsuccessful in the second Test at Old Trafford saw him plummet down to the fifth position, dropping five places. The returning James Anderson, who impressed one and all with his ability to reverse swing claimed second place on the table with one rating point behind Ravi Ashwin with 875 points to his name.

Anderson’s partner in crime Stuart Broad occupies the third position while Dale Steyn is barely a few points away from catching Broad. In spite of not playing the first Test, Ravindra Jadeja remains in the sixth position on the rankings.

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Check the latest ICC Test All-Rounders Rankings here