Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has moved to a new career-best in the current ICC Test rankings, rising to the 15th position after his match-winning performance in the fifth Test against England at The Oval.
Siraj jumped 12 positions in the rankings after taking nine wickets in the match, including a vital five-wicket haul that proved decisive in India's nerve-wracking six-run win, tying up the series at 2-2.
With England targeting a modest total and needing only 35 runs with four wickets to spare on the last day, Siraj stood up. The 30-year-old bowler sent back three crucial batsmen, including the last wicket of Gus Atkinson, to win a thriller and claim the Player of the Match award. This victory was Siraj's best performance in red-ball cricket rankings, better than his earlier best of 16th, which he gained in January 2023.
India's bowling captain Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top of the ICC Test bowling rankings, defending his grip on 889 rating points playing just three matches in the series to keep his workload under control.
Another Indian fast bowler, Prasidh Krishna, also hit a personal landmark by rising to a career-high 59th place in the rankings. Krishna and Siraj became only the second Indian pair to take four or more wickets in both innings of a Test match. The last time it was done by an Indian pair was in 1969, when the Bishan Singh Bedi-Erapalli Prasanna pair did it against Australia in Delhi.
With regards to batting, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to the top five after registering his second century this series at The Oval. His consistent effort saw him jump three places to accumulate a total of 792 rating points. Only one other Indian batter besides Pant is currently in the top 10, and he too slid one place to eighth following his non-participation in the final Test due to a foot injury.
Joe Root remains unbeaten atop the Test batting rankings, further entrenching his No. 1 ranking with his third century in three games. Teammate Harry Brook also made improvements to return to second place after his dazzling 111 off 98 deliveries in the same Test.
On the England side, seamers Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson also saw their ranking improve following their good show.
Both the bowlers shared eight wickets each at The Oval. Atkinson, who was one of the key players in the series, made his maiden top 10 entry, while Tongue improved 14 places to achieve 46th position in the ICC Test bowling rankings.
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