Ravichandran Ashwin ends 2015 as number one bowler & all-rounder in ICC Test

Steven Smith’s scores of 134* and 70 a href=”http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/267192.html” *Steven Smith and India offspinner R Ashwin have finished 2015 as the ICC’s top-ranked Test batsman and bowler respectively.

2015 has been yet another eventful year of Test cricket.

1-ranked Test team, had not lost an away series since 2006 until its visit to India in the second half of 2015.

But Ashwin may not have ended the top ranked bowler in the world had Dale Steyn been able to bowl more overs in England’s second innings against South Africa in the first Test at Durban. Ashwin’s also the first Indian to finish the season in such laudable fashion in nearly 42-years, after Bishen Singh Bedi, who was the world no. 1, back in 1973.

“Replicating what Mr Bedi did is something I am very proud of”.

Kane Williamson’s fall from top spot in the test batting rankings came on the same day he led the Black Caps to defeat in the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka.

In rankings for batsmen, no Indian features in the top 10 list. Ashwin took 62 wickets in nine Tests this year, at an average of just over 17. “He has played a key role in taking India to the No. 2 position on the Test Rankings and I wish him all the best for the coming year”. Ajinkya Rahane, at 11, is the best ranked Indian batsman with Test captain Virat Kohli at number 15.

With 1474 runs from 13 Tests in 2015, Smith ends the year as the highest scorer in the format. This performance is clearly reflected in his ranking; he started the year in fifth position, achieved the number-one position for the first time after the Kingston Test against the West Indies in June, before finishing the year on top of the tree after hovering inside the top five in the last quarter of the year.