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The Indian ace fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has again set the cricketing world talking as he extended his lead at the top of the ICC Test rankings. He is continuing to impress with his exploits in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy which have seen him achieve the joint-highest rating points ever earned by an Indian bowler in Test cricket.
Bumrah Achieves Historic Rating Milestone
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Bumrah’s brilliant performance in the Gabba Test against Australia, where he claimed 9 wickets for just 94 runs, has been a major contributor to his rise in the rankings. He has total rating points of 904 in the Test rankings after this magnificent display, equal to the one that Ravichandran Ashwin retired with.
It was December 2016 when Ravichandran Ashwin attained that rating. His impressive series has not only allowed Bumrah to cement himself at the number one spot in the rankings but has also raised the lead by 48 points in the ratings.
With 21 wickets in the series so far, Bumrah’s impact has been undeniable, and his dominance in Test cricket has been clear for all to see. He continues to lead the ICC Test bowler rankings, with South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada in second place (856 points) and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood in third (852 points).
Mohammed Siraj Climbs the Rankings
India’s pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, continues to impress as Mohammed Siraj also breaks into the ICC Test bowler rankings. Siraj has moved up to 24th with a place gain, having been pretty consistent throughout the series. His consistent performances alongside Bumrah have been critical to India’s success in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Travis Head Overtakes Jaiswal in Batting Rankings
On the batting front, Australia’s Travis Head has been in scintillating form. After scoring a remarkable 152 runs in the first innings of the Gabba Test, Head has overtaken India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal to move into the fourth position in the ICC Test batting rankings. His brilliant knock has been rewarded with a jump in the rankings, making him one of the key players for Australia in the series.
Heading this list is England’s Joe Root, who continues to head the batting rankings, but that come across rather steadily of late. Head’s fourth-ranking suggests his growing stature in Test cricket in the wake of his impressive match-winning displays recently.
Steve Smith Returns to the Top 10
Yet another returnee from Australia to top the ICC Test rankings is Steve Smith, who has returned back to the top 10 for a record. Century-scoring Steve Smith returned into the big league of Test batsmen in a well-crafted Gabba Test with 101 runs but has certainly gone back to cement his credentials among the best batsmen in this format.
Alex Carey, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja Move Up the Ranks
Alex Carey of Australia, who scored crucial knocks of 70 and 20* in the Gabba Test, has moved 11 places to 29th position in the ICC Test batting rankings. The batsman’s consistency with the bat has been critical for Australia, and his move up the rankings underscores his increasing influence in the format.
India’s KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have also been able to gain from positive movements in rankings. Rahul, who has seen many ups and downs of late, climbed 10 places into the 40th spot in the batting rankings. Jadeja, with all-round brilliance, has been able to move 9 places and stand at 42nd position. This clearly depicts the contributions both these players are able to make toward India’s Test series against Australia.
The ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy has not only provided thrilling cricket but has also seen key players make significant strides in the ICC Test rankings. Some of the highlights of the rankings updates include Jasprit Bumrah’s historic rise to 904 rating points, Travis Head’s surge in the batting rankings, and the return of Steve Smith to the top 10. It would seem that the exciting cricket in this series is indeed reflected through rankings.
For example, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Alex Carey all showed excellent performances, which led to positive movements in rankings. Fans can expect further development in rankings as the series continues, and these players further strive to establish themselves within the Test cricket elite.
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