Leading England batsman Joe Root reclaimed the top position in the ICC menโs Test rankings one week after losing it, while Indiaโs all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja jumped to the 34th spot in the latest list released on Wednesday.
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Rootโs scores of 104 and 40 in the third Test of the five-match series against India at Lordโs which England won by 22 runs helped Rootโs ascendancy to the top of the batting rankings. This will be his eighth stint at the top.
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At 34, Root is the oldest No. 1 Test batter since Kumar Sangakkara in December 2014 when the Sri Lankan was 37. Root had lost his top spot to Englandโs Harry Brook, who has slipped behind Kane Williamson to the third position now.
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Among Indian batsmen, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and vice-captain Rishabh Pant have come down a rung each and are currently placed fifth and eighth, respectively. Skipper Shubman Gill has also fallen three places to ninth.
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However, Jadeja has climbed up five places to 34th after scores of 72 and a fighting 61 not out at Lord’s. KL Rahul, who made 100 and 39 in the same match, has also jumped five places and is just one spot behind Jadeja at the 35th position.
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England captain Ben Stokes’ player of the match effort of 77 runs and five wickets at the Lordโs have also taken him two places up to 42nd among batsmen and one spot up to the 45th position among bowlers.
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Bumrahโs dominance continues
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Indiaโs frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah continues to dominate the Test bowling rankings by retaining the top spot with a huge 50-point lead over South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada. Australian fast bowler Scott Boland has jumped up significantly, rising six spots to a career-best sixth place.
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Bolland, whose 62 wickets in Test cricket have come at just 16.53 apiece with only ICC Hall of Famers George Lehmann and Sydney Barnes having taken wickets at a better average, joins his four compatriots who are already in the top 10, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc. This kind of domination has not been witnessed since England had six bowlers in the top 12 in 1958. India all-rounder Washington Sundar has also moved from 58th to 46th position.
