ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin remains No.1 Test bowler, Australia fill top three slots in batting rankings

In the latest weekly update from the International Cricket Council, Marnus Labuschagne retains the top spot with team-mates Steve Smith and Travis Head moving up to second and third respectively.

Scoring 163 across the first two days of the WTC Final at The Oval, Head jumped three places from the sixth spot to secure the third rank. He has joined Labuschagne (1st) and Steve Smith (2nd) in the top three with a rating of 884. With 777 rating points, Usman Khawaja (9th) makes it four Australians in the top 10.

It was the first instance since 1984 when three batters from the same side occupied the top three positions in the Test rankings. West Indies batting troika of Gordon Greenidge (810), Clive Lloyd (787), and Larry Gomes (773) formed the top trio in December 1984.

Joe Root is the highest England batter in sixth. Alex Carey’s exploits (48 and 66*) were also rewarded with a jump of 11 spots, moving to 36th with 592 ranking points. India skipper Rohit Sharma (729) and his predecessor Virat Kohli (700) sit in 12th and 13th respectively after the match.

Ashwin continues to be No.1 Test Bowler

Despite missing the WTC Final, where Team India decided to play with four pacers and just one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin remained No.1 with 860 rating points.

The most noteworthy move in bowlers’ rankings came from Australia’s Nathan Lyon. The off-spinner moved up two places in a tie for sixth with England quick Ollie Robinson (777).

Lyon was given little opportunity to bowl in the first innings final after his quick-bowling teammates seized control, though claimed one wicket to help his side to a healthy first-innings lead.

The spinner came into his own in India’s second innings, taking 4/41, including the last scalp of Umesh Yadav, for Australia to lift the mace.

Lower down the rankings Scott Boland’s stocks continue to rise, moving up six places to 36th (534), four places ahead of Mohammed Siraj, who claimed 4/108 and 1/80 in the defeat. His captain Pat Cummins remains third, with England’s James Anderson second.