Broad becomes No.1 ranked Test bowler, Ashwin slips to No.2

Dubai, 17 January (CRICKETNMORE) - England fast bowler Stuart Broad replaced India's Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday as the top ranked bowler in Tests following his superb performance against South Africa.

Broad produced a Man of the Match performance against South Africa in the third Test at Johannesburg on Saturday, taking 6-17 to skittle the hosts out for just 83 runs in the second innings for England to win by seven wickets.

England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series that also confirmed that India will replace South Africa as the top-ranked Test side, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.

Broad entered the Johannesburg Test in the third position on 853 points but, after figures of two for 82 and six for 17, the 29-year-old earned 27 points to leapfrog Ashwin and South Africa's Dale Steyn into the top position.

Broad now sits on 880 points and leads the India spinner by nine points. Steyn is third with 850 points.

Broad is the first England bowler since Steve Harmison to top the Test bowlers rankings. Harmison had reached the top in 2004 and stayed there for 120 days. Before Harmison, Ian Botham had achieved the number-one ranking in 1980.

Broad has gained four places after earning 40 points since arriving in South Africa as he has picked up 15 wickets in three Tests to date.

Ravindra Jadeja is the other Indian in the top 10, retaining his sixth spot with 789 points.

In the Test batting rankings, Ajinkya Rahane retained his joint 10th spot he shares with Australia's Adam Voges, with 753 points. The list continues to be topped by Australia's Steve Smith with 899.

Ashwin continues to lead the all-rounders rankings with 406 points while Jadeja remains at fifth with 259.

ICC Test Player Rankings (as on 17 January after Johannesburg Test)

Bowlers (top 10)

 Rank     (+/-)       Player                  Team     Pts         Avge      HS Rating

   1         (+2)       Stuart Broad        Eng        880!      28.54    880 v SA at Johannesburg 2016

   2         (-1)        R. Ashwin            Ind         871!      25.39    871 v SA at Delhi 2015

   3         (-1)        Dale Steyn           SA         850        22.53    909 v WI at Centurion 2014

   4         ( - )        Yasir Shah           Pak        846*!    24.17    846 v Eng at Sharjah 2015

   5         ( - )        James Anderson  Eng        810        29.13    847 v WI at Barbados 2015

   6         ( - )        Ravindra Jadeja   Ind         789*!    23.76    789 v SA at Delhi 2015

   7         ( - )        Trent Boult          NZ         787        28.28    825 v Eng at Lord's 2015

   8         ( - )        Josh Hazlewood  Aus        741*     24.54    792 v WI at Hobart 2015

   9         ( - )        Tim Southee        NZ         731        31.47    799 v WI at Jamaica 2014

  10        (-1)        Vernon Philander SA         724        22.08    912 v Ind at Johannesburg 2013

 Batsmen (top 10)

Rank     (+/-)       Player                  Team     Pts         Ave        HS Rating

   1         ( - )        Steve Smith         Aus        899        57.90    936 v Eng at Lord's 2015

   2         (+2)       Joe Root               Eng        891        55.16    917 v Aus at Trent Bridge 2015

   3         (-1)        Kane Williamson   NZ         889        49.93    893 v Aus at Perth 2015

   4         (-1)        AB de Villiers     SA         863        51.10    935 v Aus at Port Elizabeth 2014

   5         ( - )        David Warner      Aus        854        51.34    880 v NZ at Perth 2015

   6         ( - )        Younus Khan       Pak        826       53.94    880 v SL at Lahore 2009

   7         (+1)       Angelo Mathews SL          808        50.18    877 v NZ at Christchurch 2014

   8         (-1)        Hashim Amla      SA         803        50.73    907 v Pak at Abu Dhabi 2013

   9         ( - )        Misbah-ul-Haq    Pak        764        48.89    842 v NZ at Abu Dhabi 2014

  10=      ( - )        Ajinkya Rahane   Ind         753!      44.97    753 v SA at Delhi 2015