Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is ranked the No.1 bowler in Test Cricket in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings released on 31st December, to mark the end of year 2015.
In this process, he dethroned Dale Steyn who topped this category five times in the last 6 years. After starting the year 2015 at 15th place, Ashwin slowly moved to the top. Ravindra Jadeja is the only other Indian bowler to Feature in the top-10 bowlers’ list at No.6.
Ashwin finished 2015 as the most successful bowler with 62 scalps in just nine Test matches. Ashwin also became only the second Indian bowler after the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi to top the Test Bowler rankings.
Top-10 Test bowlers:
1. Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) 871 points
2. Dale Steyn (SA) 867
3. Stuart Broad (Eng) 859
4. Yasir Shah (Pak) 846
5. James Anderson (Eng) 838
6. Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) 789
7. Trent Boult (NZ) 787
8. Josh Hazlewood (Aus) 752
9. Vernon Philander (SA) 739
10. Tim Southee (NZ) 731
Top-10 Test batsmen:
1. Steve Smith (Aus) 899 points
2. Kane Williamson (NZ) 889
3. Joe Root (Eng) 888
4. AB de Villiers (SA) 877
5. David Warner (Aus) 827
6. Younus Khan (Pak) 826
7. Angelo Mathews (SL) 808
8. Hashim Amla (SA) 774
9. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak) 764
10. Alastair Cook (Eng) 764
Top-5 Test all-rounders:
1. Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) 406 points
2. Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) 384
3. Stuart Broad (Eng) 326
4. Vernon Philander (SA) 293
5. Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) 259