James Anderson has reclaimed the number-one Test bowler ranking after England’s 141-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston.
England’s leading wicket-taker has usurped India’s Ravichandran Ashwin after four wickets in the match against the third-best Test team in the world, the second time in less than six weeks that Anderson has topped the bowling table.
The 34-year-old surged to the top of the chart for the first time in his career on 31 May after he took 18 wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka but the competition at the top of the table is so tight that the number-one ranking has changed hands three times from Yasir Shah to Ashwin and now back to Anderson.
Meanwhile, outstanding Chris Woakes has continued his inexorable rise up the bowling rankings. The all-rounder started the season in 87th position and has now broken into the top 20 [in 20th] for the first time after five wickets in his home Edgbaston Test saw him rise three places.
In the all-rounder rankings, Moeen Ali has achieved a career-high third position following scores of 63 and 86 not out as well as match figures of two for 128. Ashwin is the number-one ranked all-rounder, while Stuart Broad is fifth after slipping two places.
For batsmen, Joe Root remains in second place behind Australia captain Steve Smith and ahead of New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson.