India No.1 team in all formats, Ashwin goes to 2nd spot in ICC rankings

India on Wednesday claimed the top spot in the latest ICC Test rankings to become the number one ranked side in all three formats of the game. India’s big innings and 132-run win over Australia in the first Test catapulted the ‘Men in Blue’ to the top spot, dislodging the Pat Cummins-led team. Already the top T20 side, India had reached the number one spot in ODIs last month after beating New Zealand 3-0. India (115) are four rating points ahead of Australia (111) in the Test rankings and a win in the second Test, starting Friday, will not only consolidate their top spot but also aid their push for entering second consecutive World Test Championship Final. India need to win the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 or 3-0 to make the final. Among individuals, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin jumped to the second spot in the Men’s Test Bowlers Rankings following his eight-wicket show against Australia in Nagpur. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who made a successful comeback after almost five months due to a knee injury, has moved up to the 16th position, courtesy his player-of-the-match winning effort in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series-opener. The spin duo haunted Australia in the first Test between by sharing 15 wickets between them as India won by an innings 132 runs inside three days. Ashwin ensured India wrapped up a stunning victory before tea on the third day, as the veteran off-spinner took 5/37 in the second innings to go with 3/42 earlier in the match. The 36-year-old is 21 rating points behind Australia captain Pat Cummins and is contention to return to the No.1 ranking for the first time since 2017. While Ashwin stepped up in what turned out to be the last session of the Test, Jadeja did the damage on the first day with 5/47, including the prized wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Jadeja then took 2/34 in the second Australian innings. Australia were bowled out for just 91. Among other Indian bowlers, p