India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Wednesday jumped to the second spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowlers Rankings following his eight-wicket show against Australia in the opening Test in Nagpur. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who made a successful comeback after almost five months due to a knee injury, has moved up to the 16th position, courtesy his player-of-the-match winning effort in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series-opener.
The spin duo haunted Australia in the first Test between by sharing 15 wickets between them as India won by an innings 132 runs inside three days.
Ashwin ensured India wrapped up a stunning victory before tea on the third day, as the veteran off-spinner took 5/37 in the second innings to go with 3/42 earlier in the match.
The 36-year-old is 21 rating points behind Australia captain Pat Cummins and is contention to return to the No.1 ranking for the first time since 2017.
While Ashwin stepped up in what turned out to be the last session of the Test, Jadeja did the damage on the first day with 5/47, including the prized wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
Jadeja then took 2/34 in the second Australian innings. Australia were bowled out for just 91.
