ICC Test Rankings | Jason Holder attains highest rating by any Windies bowler in 20 years

Having already claimed a six-wicket haul and helped his side register a historic win over England at the Ageas Bowl, Jason Holder’s impeccable start to the month of July got even better as the Windies skipper broke new grounds in the bowlers’ rankings released by the ICC post the first Test.

Holder, who claimed seven wickets in the first Test in Southampton, reached a career-high second spot in the ICC Bowlers’ rankings, pushing New Zealand’s Neil Wagner to the third spot. But what’s remarkable about Holder’s achievement is that his rating of 862 points is the highest for any West Indian bowler in 20 years, after the 866 registered by the legendary Courtney Walsh in the year 2000. The right-armer is now 42 points shy of Australia’s Pat Cummins, who holds the top spot.

While the Windies skipper also held safe his number one ranking in the all-rounder’s category, the gap between himself and the second spot was closed down by England’s Ben Stokes, who also reached a career-high tally of 431. The English vice-captain is now just 54 points shy of the Windies skipper. Meanwhile, for his knocks of 43 and 46 in the first Test, Stokes also moved up to the ninth spot in the batsman’s rankings. With 726 points to his name, the southpaw is joint-ninth with Ajinkya Rahane and the duo are 30 points shy of Joe Root, who is currently occupying the 8th spot.

Meanwhile, Shannon Gabriel, who was awarded the Man of the Match award in the first Test for returning match figures of 9/137 at the Ageas Bowl, overtook India’s Ravindra Jadeja’s to move up to 18th spot in the bowlers’ rankings, while his partner Kemar Roach, who went wicketless in both the innings, dropped one spot to 16th. Stuart Broad, who did not partake in the first Test, and James Anderson, who went wicketless in the second innings, also slipped to 14th and 10th positions respectively in the bowlers' rankings.