The Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is now leading the ICC rankings for Test bowlers, has been in scorching form with the ball in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test series against Australia. Eight years after reaching the top spot on the rankings, Ashwin has replaced England speedster James Anderson at the top with 864 points, reclaiming the top spot.
While he and the rest of the Indian bowlers look helpless against Australia on Day 1 of the Indore Test, Ashwin has been in fantastic form, picking up 14 wickets in the first two BGT Tests. As Australia crumbled to an innings loss in the second innings of the Nagpur Test, Ashwin picked up his 31st test five-wicket haul while the Kangaroos were bowled out for 91. In the second Test at Delhi, Ashwin recorded a three-wicket haul in each innings of the match, getting rid of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Alex Carey in the same over.
Ravindra Jadeja rose two spots to reach eighth spot on the rankings
Ravichandran Ashwin replaces Anderson, who had risen to the top by overshadowing Pat Cummins with a spectacular performance in the first Test against New Zealand, becoming the third No. 1 Test bowler in as many weeks. With a match tally of seven wickets at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga, Anderson became the first player beyond the age of 40 to hold the No. 1 spot in the world. He picked up three wickets in Wellington as New Zealand edged England by one run, but he could not keep his place in the time due to his inconsistent play.
Alongside Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin’s spin twin, rose two spots to take the eighth spot. The left-arm spinner has already taken two five-wicket hauls in the ongoing BGT series and bagged back-to-back man-of-the-match awards. As Australia lost both games, Jadeja struck up 5/47 in Nagpur and followed it up with career-best figures of 7/42 in Delhi. The two Australia batters to get out in the ongoing Test in Indore, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, until the 35th over, were both preys of Jadeja’s left-arm spin.
Here’s how fans bashed Ashwin despite becoming the No. 1 Test bowler:
Ghar mein Sher, bahar dher!
— Cricket Fan 07 (@Manas_pr_sharma) March 1, 2023
Anyone can become no.1 by taking wickets on dust bowls. Still 0 fifer in SENA
— aarnav13 (@aarnav_13) March 1, 2023
Even Jadeja is better Than him
— Mr Om?? (@MrOm14852020) March 1, 2023
Still Anderson >>>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@Thalastan7) March 1, 2023
India flat on spin pitch with bol, bat and reviews.
?#indvsaus— Mahendra Kr Chaudhary?? (@mahendraSoft) March 1, 2023
consider today's Virat Kohli score as a century ?
— Ayush™ ??? (@vkkings007) March 1, 2023
Ask that fraud to take wkt first.
— ?? (@M4N4NN) March 1, 2023
Wicketless in this match.
— Duck. (@HitWicket18) March 1, 2023
