Kagiso Rabada has climbed to become the world’s number one ranked Test bowler in the ICC rankings, following his inspirational performance that helped South Africa clinch a thrilling 72-run win over India in the first Test at Newlands.
Rabada, who first turned heads as a star in South Africa’s victorious campaign at the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup in the UAE, delivered an impressive bowling display with figures of 3 for 34 and 2 for 41 against a formidable Indian batting line-up.
This stellar effort earned the young fast bowler a five-point boost in the rankings, overtaking England’s James Anderson, who dropped the same number of points after the recent Ashes Test. The exciting swing of 10 points between them has now put Rabada just one point ahead of Anderson.
Expressing his delight, Rabada said, “It’s a dream come true to be ranked as the No.1 Test bowler in the world. This achievement is the result of hard work and the incredible support from my teammates. We’re off to a fantastic start this year, and we aim to keep the winning momentum going.”
“Cricket is ultimately a team sport and I’m grateful for the backing of my teammates. This achievement is both personal and a great start for the team, with hopes to keep delivering victorious performances.”
Rabada is now the seventh South African to hold the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings, joining legends like Aubrey Faulkner, Hugh Tayfield, the Pollock duo, Dale Steyn, and Vernon Philander.
Speaking of his fellow Proteas pacer, Vernon Philander also made significant strides, rising from 12th to 6th in the rankings following his remarkable match figures of 9 for 75, which won him the man of the match award. Philander trails Australia’s Josh Hazlewood by just eight points and could break into the top five after the upcoming Test against India in Centurion.
The rankings also saw career-best rises for Indian bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Australia’s Pat Cummins. Kumar soared eight places to 22nd, while Cummins advanced to 28th position, both after notable performances.
On the batting front, Australia’s Steve Smith maintains his top position with 947 points. England’s captain Joe Root climbed to 4th place, leapfrogging Virat Kohli and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, while India’s Cheteshwar Pujara dropped to 5th.
South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Dean Elgar slipped slightly, finishing 10th and 16th respectively. Meanwhile, AB de Villiers climbed five spots to 13th, eyeing a spot inside the top ten.
Another young rising star, South African opener Aiden Markram, who captained SA to U19 World Cup glory, jumped six places to 48th. India’s allrounder Hardik Pandya shot up 24 places to 49th.
Australian batsmen also enjoyed career-high rankings with Usman Khawaja (19th), Shaun Marsh (20th), and Mitchell Marsh (57th) rewarded for their excellent centuries in the Sydney Test.
ICC Test Bowler Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Rating |
| 1 | K Rabada | SA | 888 |
| 2 | J Anderson | ENG | 887 |
| 3 | R Jadeja | IND | 861 |
| 4 | R Ashwin | IND | 830 |
| 5 | J Hazelwood | AUS | 814 |
| 6 | V Philander | SA | 806 |
| 7 | H Herath | SL | 799 |
| 8 | N Wagner | NZ | 784 |
| 9 | M Starc | AUS | 769 |
| 9 | N Lyon | AUS | 769 |
ICC Test Batsmen Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Rating |
| 1 | S Smith | AUS | 947 |
| 2 | J Root | ENG | 881 |
| 3 | V Kohli | IND | 880 |
| 4 | K Williamson | NZ | 855 |
| 5 | C Pujara | IND | 848 |
| 6 | D Warner | AUS | 827 |
| 7 | A Ali | PAK | 755 |
| 8 | L Chandimal | SL | 743 |
| 9 | A Cook | ENG | 742 |
| 10 | H Amla | SA | 740 |
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