Ravichandran Ashwin climbs to career-high second spot in ICC Test bowlers rankings

Ravichandran Ashwin rises to second spot in ICC Test bowlers rankings

Following his 12 wickets in the third Test against South Africa, India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has risen three place to a career high ranking of second in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowlers rankings.

Ashwin wasn’t the only spinner to climb up the rankings for India, as Ravindra Jadeja also moved to his career-best ranking of 11th and Amit Mishra moved up two places into 31st, an ICC release said.

Ashwin, who is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing Test series against the Proteas, picked up 12 for 98 in the Nagpur Test, as India won the match by 124 runs and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The off spinner, who was previously ranked No.5, now has a career-high 856 points, only 28 behind No.1 ranked Test bowler Dale Steyn.

Ashwin’s ascent also means that England’s James Anderson and Pakistan’s Yasir Shah move down into joint-third on 846 points, with Stuart Broad in fifth, a place down from his previous ranking, on 840 points.

The other biggest gainer from the latest rankings is Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, whose Man of the Match performance in the first Day-Night Test secured Australia’s 2-0 series win over New Zealand was enough to rocket him up to 10th place.

The 24-year-old, who picked up nine wickets in the Adelaide Test, also crossed the milestone of 50 Test wickets during the match, climbed up 10 places, for a career-high total of 708 points.

The other big movers following the Tests in Nagpur and Adelaide, were Imran Tahir, who moved up 14 places to 35th, Doug Bracewell, up four places in 36th, Mitchell Marsh, up five places in 55th and Dean Elgar, up five places in 68th. All four players enjoyed career-high gains.

Of the biggest losers, Tim Southee moved out of the top 10 and is now in 14th, while Peter Siddle dropped three places to 18th, despite picking up his 200th Test scalp in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Adelaide.

Ranking	Player	Points
1	Dale Steyn	884
2	Ravichandran Ashwin	856
3	James Anderson	846
4	Yasir Shah	846
5	Stuart Broad	840
6	Trent Boult	809
7	Vernon Philander	754
8	Rangana Herath	751
9	Morne Morkel	733
10	Josh Hazlewood	708