Yasir Shah first leg-spinner since Shane Warne to be ranked No.1
The Pakistani bowler became the first leg-spinner in 11 years to move to the top of the ICC rankings of Test bowlers after picking up 10 wickets in the first Test at Lord's against England. The 30-year-old displaced James Anderson from the top, with R Ashwin still holding on to his 2nd spot.
Nicknamed Messi, Yasir Shah made to wait for a long time before making it to the first team squad. However, he is making the most of the opportunity he is receiving right now. After helping Pakistan to a comprehensive victory at the Lord's in the first Test, with a 10-wicket haul, Shah has now picked up 86 wickets in his 13 Test appearances so far—the highest anyone has managed in their first 13 Tests. In fact, he needs 14 wickets in his next two Test matches to become the fastest to 100 Test wickets and break the 120-year-old record set by English bowler George Lohmann, who picked up his 100th Test wicket in his 16th Test appearance.
With this scintillating start to his Test career, Shah has also become the first leg-spinner since Shane Warne in 2005 to reach the top of the ICC rankings, and also the first Pakistani bowler since Mushtaq Ahmed in 1996. James Anderson, who missed the first Test match due to his shoulder injury, has dropped down to third place with R Ashwin still holding on to his second spot. Stuart Board has also moved a place down to fourth.
In the batmen's rankings, Younis Khan has moved down two places to seventh, while Misbah-ul-Haq, who scored a memorable century in the 1st Test, moved up a place to ninth. At the top, Steve Smith still holds the No.1 spot, while Joe Root has dropped down two places to fourth.
ICC Test Rankings - Bowling
1. Yasir Shah (Pakistan)
2. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
3. James Anderson (England)
4. Stuart Board (England)
5. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
6. Ravindra Jadeja (India)
7. Trent Boult (New Zealand)
8. Josh Hazlewood (Australia)
9. Morne Morkel (South Africa)
10. Vernon Philander (South Africa)
ICC Test Rankings - Batting
1. Steve Smith (Australia)
2. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
3. Hashim Amla (South Africa)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6. Adam Voges (Australia)
7. Younus Khan (Pakistan)
8. David Warner (Australia)
9. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
10. Angelo Matthews (Sri Lanka)
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