ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin loses No. 1 spot to Stuart Broad

Dubai, Jan 17: India's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lost his number one position in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers to paceman Stuart Broad, who bowled England to a series-clinching 2-0 win against South Africa on Saturday.

In the latest rankings, which were updated today after the completion of South Africa-England Test yesterday (January 16), Ashwin has been pushed to 2nd place. Broad gained 2 positions to top the table.

"England fast bowler Stuart Broad has achieved the status of the number-one ranked Test bowler in the world after producing a Man of the Match performance in the Johannesburg Test, which has also confirmed that India will replace South Africa as the top-ranked Test side when the ICC Test Championship table is updated at the end of the Centurion Test," a media release from the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday (January 17).

"Broad had entered the Johannesburg Test in third position on 853 points but, after figures of two for 82 and six for 17, the 29-year-old earned 27 points to leapfrog Ravichandran Ashwin of India and South Africa's Dale Steyn into the top position. Broad now sits on 880 points and leads the India spinner by nine points," it added.

Ashwin, who was today dropped from the Indian Playing XI to face Australia in the 3rd ODI at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), however continues to be the number one all-rounder in Tests.

Ravindra Jadeja is the other Indian to feature in the top-10 ranking for Test bowlers. He is static at 6th. He is also 5th in Test all-rounders list.

In the rankings for Test batsmen, Australia's Steve Smith continues to head the charts. England's Joe Root has moved up 2 places to 2nd. Ajinkya Rahane is the highest ranked Indian in the batsmen's list. He is at 10th.

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