Pat Cummins rises to third in ICC test all-terrain rankings after Boxing Day heroics

He has long been one of the leading fast bowlers of his era, but perhaps now is the time to recognize Australia captain Pat Cummins as a genuine world-class all-rounder.

Following Cummins’ tremendous success in the Boxing Day Test against India, the first update to the ICC rankings for 2025 sees him rise from fourth to third place in the bowling list, thanks to his six-wicket haul in the dramatic win in the MCG.

At age 31, Cummins also moved up four spots to a career-best third place in the event’s off-road standings, bolstered by his valuable knocks of 49 and 41 that contributed to his team’s 184-run triumph.

His ranking of 283 points improved on the fifth position he achieved in August 2019 and places him only behind Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan (284) and India’s Ravindra Jadeja (405) in the list of top all-rounders, while both entries have also earned him helped him break into the list of the top 100 hitters, at number 97.

Cummins is also ahead of the most recognized all-rounders, such as the Englishmen Ben Stokes (ninth) and Joe Root (seventh). Marco Jansen, Shakib Al Hasan, Jason Holder, Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes are the other players completing the top 10.

Cummins, winner of last year’s Sir Garfield Sobers Award for world men’s cricketer of the year, took three wickets in each innings to put him in third position in the bowling charts with 837 rating points.

That is six points behind teammate Josh Hazlewood and Indian superstar Jasprit Bumrah reached the highest points rating ever achieved by an Indian bowler at the top of the rankings.

Bumrah’s nine-wicket haul in Melbourne ensured the pace ace rose from his previous record of 904 points with Ravichandran Ashwin to a new milestone of 907.

It places him 17th in the list of all-time Test bowlers, in a list headed by two Englishmen, Sydney Barnes (932) and George Lohmann (931), who played more than a century ago.

Cummins and Glenn McGrath are the top Australians on that list, ranking fifth with 914 points at their peak.

Steve Smith has moved up three places in the Test batting rankings to seventh after his 140 against India (763 points), two places behind Australian leader Travis Head (780), while English maestro Joe Root still leads the way with 895.

AAP