ICC rankings: Boland, Bumrah, Bavuma and Babar make gains
The Tests in Sydney and Cape Town brought with them some record highs
ESPNcricinfo staff
08-Jan-2025
Scott Boland receives his Player-of-the-Match award for the SCG Test from Allan Border • Getty Images
Scott Boland has entered the top ten of the ICC's Test bowling rankings for the first time after taking 21 wickets in three Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests.
Averaging 13.19 in the series, Boland broke into the top ten after a match haul of 10 for 86 at the SCG, which sealed the series 3-1 in Australia's favour and earned him a Player-of-the-Match award. He has moved up to joint-ninth after climbing 29 positions.
Jasprit Bumrah, who topped the wicket-takers' chart at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 32 wickets at 13.06, remains the No. 1 Test bowler, adding one rating point and going up to 908, improving on the record for Indian bowlers.
Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada have moved up to No. 2 and No. 3 respectively, while Josh Hazlewood has fallen just out of the top three. Marco Jansen rounds up the top five for Test bowlers.
Bavuma, Pant, Babar rise among Test batters
South Africa's big batting performance in the second Test against Pakistan, where they scored 615 in the first innings, has seen their key batters move up the Test batting charts.
Temba Bavuma's 106 has taken him three places up to a career-best No. 6. Ryan Rickelton's 259 has lifted him 48 positions to 55th, while Kyle Verreynne's 100 has seen him move up four spots to No. 24.
For Pakistan, Babar Azam (No. 12) inched closer to the top ten after scores of 58 and 81.
Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, has regained his place in the top ten among Test batters, after hitting 40 and 61 in India's defeat in Sydney. He moved up three places to No. 9 while his team-mate Yashasvi Jaiswal remained at No. 3 behind world No. 1 Joe Root and second-placed Harry Brook.