The ‘Kohinoor of Indian cricket’ Jasprit Bumrah hit a never-seen-before high in Indian cricket as he went past Ravichandran Ashwin‘s ICC Test rankings record for bowlers. Bumrah finished shed the year 2024 with 71 wickets to his name in the longest format, with the figures taking him to the absolute top of wicket-takers charts in the year. Courtesy of his exemplary performances last year, the Indian pace icon recorded the highest-ever rating points tally achieved by an Indian bowler as he consolidated his position at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings after another successful Test in Melbourne that saw him finish with a nine-wicket match haul.

Bumrah, who is shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and also the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award, has moved up from his previous tied high of 904 with Ravichandran Ashwin. His tally of 907 rating points now places him joint-17th in the all-time list with yesteryear spinner Derek Underwood of England.

Bumrah still remains a few places shy of the global all-time charts. The list is led by England seamers Sydney Barnes (932) and George Lohmann (931) who played more than a century ago while Imran Khan (922) and Muttiah Muralidaran (920) are third and fourth.

Meanwhile, Australia captain Pat Cummins, who is joint-fifth with Glenn McGrath in that list with 914 rating points, is another one to gain in the latest rankings update after helping win the fourth match of their ICC World Test Championship series against India in Melbourne.

He also secured a third place in the Test all-rounder rankings after he notched up 90 vital runs across two innings during Australia’s 184-run win in the fourth Test.

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s 82-run first-innings knock in the Boxing Day Test saw him jump a spot to a career-best fourth with 854 rating points, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s maiden Test century leapfrogged him 20 places to 53rd in the Test batting rankings. 

With inputs from ICC Release and PTI