ICC Test Rankings: James Anderson At The Top In Test Cricket, Dethrones Pat Cummins

James Anderson overtook Australia captain Pat Cummins and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to become the No.1 ranked Test bowler.

Cricket Image for ICC Test Rankings: James Anderson At The Top In Test Cricket, Dethrones Pat Cummin (Image Source: Cricketnmore)

The remarkable career of James Anderson continues to reach new heights as England quickly overtook Australia captain Pat Cummins and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to become the No.1 ranked bowler on the latest MRF Tyres ICC Men's Test Rankings.

Anderson rises to the top on the back of his seven-wicket haul for England during their emphatic 267-run victory over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last week, with the evergreen 40-year-old ending Cummins' four-year reign as the top-ranked Test bowler.

It is the sixth time that Anderson has held the title as the premier bowler on the Test rankings, with the right-arm first scaling the heights back in May 2016 when he went past teammate Stuart Broad and Ashwin to hold top billing in a distinguished international career that commenced way back in 2003.

More recently Anderson held on to the top ranking for five months in 2018, with the veteran speedster losing the top spot to South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada in November of that year.

But the old adage that life begins at 40 certainly rings true for Anderson, who has found a fresh lease of life under new coach Brendon McCullum as England have registered 10 wins from their last 11 Test matches.

Anderson has been a mainstay in the majority of those triumphs and the England legend now has collected a total of 682 Test scalps to be third on the all-time list for Test wickets behind spin duo Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).