Jasprit Bumrah On The Verge Of Dethroning R Ashwin In ICC Test Rankings
Bumrah and Ashwin- (PTI)
Jasprit Bumrah is having a dream 2024 with the ball in hand. The Indian seamer has had an outstanding year, delivering the goods across formats and helping India win ICC trophy. However, it has been the Test format, where he has undoubtedly being at his best.
Bumrah started the year by dismantling England in the Test series, which India won 4-1. In 4 games against the visiting English team, Bumrah grabbed 19 wickets, at an average of 16.89, including a five-wicket haul.
He continued to weave his magic in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, where the star pacer scalped 5-wickets, including a 4-fer in the first innings.
Bumrah rising to the top
Apart from Bumrah, the other Indian bowler who has wreaked havoc this year has been Ravichandran Ashwin. Against a struggling England side, Ashwin bagged 26 wickets, at an average of 22.81.
Just like Bumrah, he also showed his class in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh, picking up a 6-fer to seal the win for India.
The champion Indian off-spinner sits at the top of the ICC rankings for bowlers in Tests, with 871 points, but is slowly chased by Bumrah. The Indian seamer is closely following his teammate, and is at the second place with 854 points.
Can Bumrah surpass R Ashwin after heroics in Chennai Test?
Bumrah has a golden chance to eclipse Ashwin and seal the top spot. But for that, he needs to deliver the goods once again in Kanpur Test, and Ashwin has to be under-par, which looks impossible, considering Kanpur will have a spin-deck on offer.
However, in a couple of months time, Bumrah can easily go past R Ashwin and here is how. India are set to travel to Australia for a 5-match series, and with the Australian pitches favouring the pacers, there is a chance that R Ashwin could be benched for the majority of the games.
Bumrah, on the other hand will play all 5-Tests, and if at that point the ranking positions remain the same, there is a great chance that he'll surpass Ashwin.