Shamar-Joseph. (Photo Source: Twitter)
West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph and England spinner Tom Hartley hog the limelight in the latest update to the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, reaping the benefits of their outstanding performances over the past week.
Joseph, whose sensational seven-wicket haul in the second innings helped the West Indies score a thrilling eight-run victory over Australia in Brisbane to draw the two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1, finds himself in joint-50th position after moving up 42 places.
The 24-year-old’s tally of 397 rating points is the fifth-best by a West Indies bowler after two Tests, with some past greats ahead of him in that list. Fast bowler Colin Croft (447), left-arm spinner Alf Valentine (443), fast bowler Wes Hall (422), and off-spinner Sonny Ramadhin (407) had more points after their first two Tests.
Hartley too had a remarkable seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the opening Test against India and finished with nine wickets in the match, helping pull off a 28-run win in Hyderabad. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner is in 63rd position with 332 rating points, the best by any England bowler after his debut Test since left-arm seam bowler John Lever achieved 393 points with a 10-wicket match haul against India in Delhi in December 1976.
Former captain Joe Root’s spin bowling has lifted eight places to 54th among bowlers after he finished with five wickets in the match, including an important four-wicket haul in the first innings.
Player of the Match Ollie Pope’s second innings knock of 196 has lifted him 20 positions to a career-best 15th position while his team-mate Ben Duckett has progressed five places to 22nd position after useful scores of 35 and 47 at the top of the order.
Indian batters KL Rahul (up three places to 51st) and Yashaswi Jaiswal (up three places to 66th) have moved up the rankings after scores of 86 and 80, respectively, in the first innings, while Jasprit Bumrah has advanced one place to fourth after finishing with six wickets in the match. All-rounder Axar Patel has progressed in both lists – from 51st to 50th in batting and from 33rd to 31st in bowling.
Joseph was the top gainer for the West Indies after the Brisbane Test but his fellow fast bowlers Kemar Roach (up two places to 17th) and Alzarri Joseph (up four places to 33rd) have also made headway after finishing with three and six wickets, respectively, in the match.
Joshua de Silva (up 12 places to 60th), Kirk McKenzie (up nine places to 76th), and Kavem Hodge (up 98 places to 81st) have moved up the batting rankings after some useful knocks.