James Anderson ends Pat Cummins' four-year run as No 1 Test bowler, attains top spot in latest ICC rankings

In the latest ICC rankings released on Wednesday, England’s James Anderson returned to attaining the number one spot in the bowler’s category, ending Australian Pat Cummins’ four-year run at the top of the chart. Following his seven-wicket haul against New Zealand in the first Test on his maiden visit to Mount Maunganui last week, Anderson, aged 40, claimed the top position for the sixth time in his career, and for the first time since 2018. While he has 866 ratingpoints besides his name on the rankings, India’s ace-spinner Ravi Ashwin is second on the list with 864 points while Cummins droppedtwo places down to the third place with 858 rating points.

Having made his Test debut literally almost two decades back in 2003, Anderson is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 682 scalps to his name. Still England’s premier bowler in the longer format, Anderson picked up three wickets in the first innings against New Zealand before coming down hard on them in the second innings by grabbing a four-for. Thanks to his and his partner Stuart Broad’s match-winning figures, England defeated the Kiwis by 267 runs – continuing their excellent form after deploying the Bazball approach in Tests.

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On the other hand, following two stunning performances with the ball in hand against Australia, India’s Ravindra Jadeja climbed six places to the ninth spot (763) in the bowler’s rankings in addition to remaining on top as the number one all-rounder (460).

His teammate, Axar Patel - who is surprisingly the second-highest run-getter in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series with 158 runs to his name, also moved up two places to the fifth position with 283 rating points. Among the top five all-rounders in Tests at the moment, three positions are grabbed the Indians only – Jadeja (1), Ashwin (2) and Axar (5).

Meanwhile, England’s second Test is scheduled for February 24th at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, India will be seen in action against Australia in the third Test slated for March 1st start in Indore.