ICC Rankings: Jadeja jumps 16 places to bag top position in all-rounders list, bowler Ashwin retains 2nd spot

Following handsome performances in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur, India’s star duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja attained top spots in the latest ICC Rankings released on Wednesday. While Ashwin climbed to the second spot in the bowlers list with 846 rating points to his name, his fellow partner Ravindra Jadeja jumped 16 places to claim the number one place in the all-rounders category with 424 rating points; Ashwin is second on that list with 358 points. Both these match-winners picked up five-wicket hauls in the first Test, helping India beat Australia by an innings and 132 runs, and take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar series.

While returning Ravindra Jadeja picked a five-for in the first outing in addition to scoring a fighting 70 in India’s only innings, ace spinner Ravi Ashwin spun his web around the Aussies batters by picking his 31st five-wicket haul in the second innings. Jadeja also picked two wickets in the second innings including the big one of number one Test batter Marnus Labuschagne, and returned with the Player of the Match award for his all-round show.

Another spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel also rose six places to the seventh spot after a masterful 84, that helped India gain a huge lead on day three. On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah, who is out due to a stress fracture in his back and hasn’t played any competitive cricket in a long time, is placed 5th in the bowlers list.

India captain Rohit Sharma, who scored a hundred (120) in the first innings jumped two places to the eighth position with 748 rating points. Also, Rishabh Pant, who suffered a road accident in December last year, is at the fifth spot with 789 points.

Talking about the Aussie players, both openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja faced the wrath of playing poor across both innings as Warner’s cheap scores of 1 and 10 saw him slip six places to the 20th spot, while his in-form partner Usman Khawaja, who too failed badly against spin in the Nagpur Test, drops down two places to tenth position.

Whereas, star middle-order batters Marnus and former captain Steve Smith are ranked one and two in the batters list, respectively, with Pakistan captain Babar taking the third spot. Virat Kohli, who got out cheaply on 12 in the first innings, is placed 16th.

The second of the four-match Test series will begin on February 17th in Delhi.