Axar Patel’s meteoric rise to the top: Axar Patel, the left-arm spinner from Gujarat, has made history by surpassing Jasprit Bumrah to become the top-ranked Indian bowler in the latest ICC Test rankings. Patel’s impressive performance in the recently concluded Test series against England has earned him a career-high rating of 868 points, making him the highest-ranked Indian bowler in the world.
Patel’s rise to the top of the rankings has been meteoric. The 27-year-old made his Test debut in February 2021 against England in Chennai. In just nine Test matches, Patel has taken 45 wickets at an impressive average of 19.84. He has also recorded three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul in his short Test career so far.
Patel’s performance in the Test series against England was nothing short of exceptional. He took 27 wickets in just three matches, including two ten-wicket hauls. His match figures of 11/70 in the third Test in Ahmedabad helped India clinch the series 3-1 and earn a place in the World Test Championship final.
The left-arm spinner’s performances have earned him widespread praise from experts and fans alike. Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman called Patel’s bowling “outstanding” and praised his consistency and accuracy. Former England captain Michael Vaughan also heaped praise on Patel, calling him a “class act” and a “world-class spinner.”
Patel’s rise to the top of the rankings is also a testament to the depth of talent in the Indian bowling attack. India now has four bowlers in the top ten of the ICC Test rankings – Patel at number one, Bumrah at number two, Ravichandran Ashwin at number three, and Mohammed Shami at number ten.
This is the first time since 1974 that India has had four bowlers in the top ten of the ICC Test rankings. The quartet’s rise to the top is a reflection of India’s dominance in Test cricket over the past few years. India is currently ranked number one in the ICC Test rankings and has been unbeaten in their last 14 Test series. Patel’s rise to the top of the rankings is also significant for left-arm spin bowling. He is now the first left-arm spinner to be ranked as the number one Test bowler in the world since Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath in 2017. Patel’s success is a boost for left-arm spinners all over the world, who have often been overshadowed by their right-arm counterparts.
