Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) bettered spin stalwart Ravichandran Ashwin’s all-time rating-point record by an Indian in the latest ICC rankings when he touched the 907-point mark.

Ashwin’s highest rating was 904, achieved in December 2016.

The 907 ranking points also placed Bumrah as joint-17th in the all-time list with Derek Underwood of England.

Ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne last week, Bumrah had equalled the record (904) held by Ashwin in the ranking for bowlers.

However, another superb performance at the MCG, where he got nine wickets, albeit in a losing cause, helped him consolidate his lead as the No. 1 Test bowler in the recent update.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins earned 15 rating points following his six wickets at MCG to jump a place to No. 3.

He also secured a third place in the Test all-rounder rankings after he notched up 90 vital runs across two innings during Australia’s 184-run win in the fourth Test.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 82-run first-innings knock in the Boxing Day Test saw him jump a spot to a career-best fourth with 854 rating points, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s maiden Test century leapfrogged him 20 places to 53rd in the Test batting rankings.

Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah got a huge boost on the eve of the Boxing Day Test when he achieved the joint-highest rating ever by an Indian player, equalling the record held by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the ICC Ranking for Bowlers.

The quick gained 14 rating points following his 9/94 in the drawn third Test at Brisbane, equaling Ashwin’s highest-ever 904 rating points and consolidating his position at the top of the rankings.

Bumrah has a chance to better Ashwin’s rating points, which the now-retired off-spinner achieved in December 2016, when the fourth match of the Border-Gavaskar Test begins at the MCG on Thursday, December 26, 2024.

South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (856) and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (852) are trailing the Indian pacer at the second and third place respectively.

Charismatic Australian batter Travis Head’s stellar run in the ongoing series against India helped him climb to fourth spot (825 rating points) in the Test Ranking for Batters. He is still behind the England duo of Joe Root (895) and Harry Brook (876), and former New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson (867).

Head smashed a scintillating 152 at the Gabba to follow up his century in the second Test at Adelaide. Compatriot Steve Smith’s century at the Gabba got him into the top-10 once again.

Among all-rounders, India’s Ravindra Jadeja continues to lead the lead the chart with 424 rating points, while Australia skipper Pat Cummins earned his place back in the top-10, following his four wickets and 42 runs in the third Test at Gabba.