Jasprit Bumrah is the sole reason India approaches the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a possibility of equalizing the series, a fact recognized universally.

With an impressive tally of 30 wickets in the series at an extraordinary average of 12.83, the fast bowler has kept Australia in a state of constant pressure. His outstanding performance has not only secured him the top position in the ICC Test rankings but has also led to the highest peak rating points ever attained by an Indian bowler.

Bumrah is also a contender for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, as well as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award. He has surpassed his previous peak of 904, which he shared with Ravichandran Ashwin. With a current total of 907 rating points, he leads the rankings released on Wednesday, with Australia’s Josh Hazlewood trailing significantly at 843 points. This achievement places him joint 17th on the all-time ratings list.

Ashwin had reached the 904 rating in December 2016 following the fourth Test against England at Wankhede, where he claimed 24 wickets in his preceding three Tests.

The all-time peak ratings list is topped by England bowlers Sydney Barnes (932) and George Lohmann (931), who played over a century ago, while Imran Khan (922) and Muttiah Muralitharan (920) occupy the third and fourth positions, respectively.

Bumrah's nine-wicket haul in Melbourne has also established him as the only bowler in Test history to have taken over 200 wickets at an average below 20, surpassing legends such as Malcolm Marshall (20.94), Joel Garner (20.97), Curtly Ambrose (20.99), and Fred Trueman (21.57).

The highest rating points ever recorded by an Indian batter stands at 937, a milestone achieved by Virat Kohli following the Test match against England in Southampton in 2018. This accomplishment places him 11th on the list of all-time highest-rated batters.

While the ICC’s weekly rankings are fundamentally based on these ratings, the analysis of cumulative rating points over time provides valuable insights into a player's career trajectory. The peak rating points attained by a player indicate the pinnacle of their professional journey.

According to the ICC, its ratings “consider the strength of the opposition; thus, there should not be a significant advantage in competing against any specific team.” However, these ratings are not easily comparable across different eras. This discrepancy arises from the fact that a player's performance is inherently linked to the quality of the opposition during their respective era. Consequently, a rating of 900 achieved during the era of the West Indies' legendary bowlers may equate to a rating of 950 in a period lacking such formidable bowling attacks. Nevertheless, these ratings serve as a valuable metric for assessing a player's consistency and influence on the sport at a particular time.

Australian captain Pat Cummins remarked on Bumrah's impact after the Melbourne Test, stating, “He has been their most influential player and he’s made it difficult for us at times. He poses the biggest threat. Bumrah will continue to be a challenge regardless of when he enters the game. In Sydney, he will again be a threat, so we must find ways to counter that.”

It is noteworthy that Cummins himself has reached a peak rating of 914, achieved after the 2019 Old Trafford Test against England, which positions him fifth on the all-time list. Currently, he ranks third with a rating of 837.

On the batting front, Kohli, who once ruled the rankings, has fallen to No 24 with a rating on 633. Rohit Sharma comes in at 40, with a rating of 560 (his best-ever rating was 813 after the Test against England at the Oval in 2021). Yashasvi Jaiswal is currently the top Indian batter in fourth place in the rankings at 854, which is also his peak rating.

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