Fast bowling legend Jasprit Bumrah became the first Indian fast bowler to reach No. 1 in ICC Test bowling rankings. He hit 907 rating points after his Border-Gavaskar Trophy performance. This marks a big milestone for Indian pace bowling in Tests.
Bumrah took the top spot in December 2024 after claiming 32 wickets in five Tests against Australia - the most by an Indian bowler in an away series. He won Player of the Series despite India losing 1-3.
Bumrah first hit No. 1 with 883 points after his eight-wicket match-winning performance in Perth. Strong bowling in later games, including 5/30 and 3/42, lifted his rating to 907, passing Ashwin's Indian record of 904 points.
Bumrah ranks 17th all-time, tied with former England spinner Derek Underwood. He's the fourth Indian bowler to reach No. 1, joining Bishan Singh Bedi, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The success of Bumrah shows India's shift in bowling strategy. Historically, India has heavily relied on spinners, but his achievement proves pace bowling works overseas. At 30, he found swing and seam on Australian pitches that typically don't help fast bowlers, troubling batsmen from Perth to Sydney.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy showed Bumrah's ability to produce key spells when needed. His ability to take wickets in all conditions demonstrates how Indian pace bowling has developed to be a domestic powerhouse to a world-class bowling unit.
This comes as India's fast bowling has gained worldwide respect. Bumrah's success shows young Indian pacers that good line and length with small variations can work anywhere.
Cricket experts say Bumrah's unusual action and late swing work well against top batsmen. His ability to bowl long spells without tiring has become key to India's Test plans.
Bumrah’s ranking is based on his performance over 18 months, where he has taken wickets in different countries and conditions. His performance abroad has been much better and he is now the most dependable fast bowler in India.
Bumrah has become one of the few fast bowlers to top the ICC Test rankings with this feat. His success only goes to show how Indian cricket has been able to produce world-class pacers through sheer hard work.