ICC Test Rankings for bowlers: Ravindra Jadeja joins R Ashwin at the top, claims career best ratings

New Delhi, March 8: India's left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has joined his partner Ravichandran Ashwin at the top of the ICC Test Rankings for Bowlers.

Kohli hails Team India for 'sweetest' victory

The Indian spin-twin have, thus, become the first pair of spinners to be jointly top-ranked in the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after Jadeja caught up with Ashwin in the rankings released by the ICC on Wednesday (March 8), as India defeated Australia in the second match in Bengaluru.

"Jadeja's seven wickets in the match, which included a crucial six for 63 in the first innings, have helped him move up one rank to reach the top position for the first time in his career," said the ICC release.

The last time two bowlers shared the top spot was in April 2008 when Dale Steyn and Muttiah Muralidaran were at the top.

This is Jadeja's career best rankings in the ICC table. He was placed at second spot in the ICC Test rankings before this match.

Ashwin's 25th five-wicket haul was the cornerstone of India's remarkable turnaround as the hosts defeated Australia by 75 runs in the second cricket Test to level the four-match series 1-1.

Ashwin was unplayable on a tricky fourth-day surface with magnificent figures of 6 for 41. Australia ended up decimated for 112 in only 35.4 overs.

His eight wickets took him past spin legend Bishan Bedi's tally of 266 wickets and made him the fifth-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests with 269 wickets.

Ashwin has established a record for being the quickest to 25 five-wicket hauls - in 47 Tests - the fastest in Test cricket, outstripping Richard Hadlee's feat in 62 matches.

"Australia spinner Nathan Lyon's eight wickets in the match have lifted him two places to 16th rank while his team's left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe and India pace bowler Umesh Yadav have gained one place each to reach career-best 28th and 29th places, respectively," said the ICC release.

India's win-margin by 75 runs is the third biggest for a team defending a target of less than 200 in the fourth innings - the best two are by 147 runs by West Indies vs England at Port of Spain in 1993-94 and by 89 runs by Australia vs South Africa at Melbourne 1910-11.

In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen, Australian captain Steve Smith has maintained his reign at the top for 77 Tests, going past Ricky Ponting's 76 matches and now has the third longest stint at the top among Australians after Steve Waugh (94) and Don Bradman (93).

Here is the list of top 5 bowlers (as on March 8, after the second Test between India and Australia in Bengaluru)

Rank Player Team Pts Avg Highest Rating

1.= Ravichandran Ashwin India 892 24.79 904 v Eng at Mumbai 2016

Ravindra Jadeja India 892 23.44 892 v Aus at Bengaluru 2017

3. Josh Hazlewood Aus 863 24.38 863 v Ind at Bengaluru 2017

4. Rangana Herath SL 827 28.31 867 v Zim at Harare 2016

5. Kagiso Rabada SA 821 21.76 821 v SL at Johannesburg 2017

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