Ravichandran Ashwin has finished the year 2015 as the top-ranked Test bowler and all-rounder on the ICC’s rankings. With 871 ranking points, the Indian off-spinner leads Dale Steyn (867) by four points on the bowlers’ list.
Ashwin bagged 62 wickets in nine Test matches in the year with seven five-wicket hauls and the best figures of 7 for 66. He was instrumental in India’s most recent Test series wins over Sri Lanka and South Africa with 21 and 31 wickets respectively. He walked away with the Man of the Series awards on both occasions. Ashwin also scored 248 Test runs at 20.66 during the year with three half-centuries. His rank on the ODI and T20I bowlers’ rankings is 10th and fifth respectively.
The off-spinner is the second Indian bowler since Bishen Singh Bedi in 1973 to get the top ranking.
Virat Kohli, with 623 runs in 20 matches, is the second ranked ODI batsman after leader, AB de Villiers. The Indian Test captain also holds the second rank on the list of T20I batsmen.
MS Dhoni (sixth) and Shikhar Dhawan (seventh) are other Indians in the top 10 ODI batsmen rankings, while Ravindra Jadeja is ranked sixth on the bowlers’ list.
India are perched at the No. 2 position on the ICC Test and ODI Rankings and are the seventh ranked team in the T20Is.
