Mohammed Siraj becomes number one bowler in ICC ODI Rankings

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Nakul Shivani • 1 Years ago
Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj

 

New Delhi

India's right-arm fast-bowler Mohammed Siraj has become the new number one bowler in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings for bowlers, going past New Zealand's left-arm seamer Trent Boult and Australia's fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.

It's a remarkable rise for Siraj, who only returned to India's ODI setup in February last year following a three-year hiatus from the format and was even named in Men's ODI Team of the Year for 2022 on Tuesday. Siraj's rise to the top is more astonishing considering that he conceded 76 runs on his ODI debut against Australia in Adelaide in January 2019.

Since his ODI comeback, Siraj, 28, has collected 37 wickets from 20 matches to be one of India's most consistent fast bowlers and earning accolades from the cricketing world over providing crucial strikes with the ball in the first ten overs in the initial days of 2023.

Siraj took nine wickets against Sri Lanka to be the leading wicket-taker in the three-game series and backed that up by claiming a four-wicket haul while conceding 46 runs in the opening match of the recently-completed series against New Zealand at his home ground in Hyderabad.

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It means Siraj jumps to the top of the ODI bowler rankings with 729 rating points, albeit narrowly, with his lead at the top over Hazlewood just two rating points higher than the Australian. Other Indian bowlers to be previously number one in the Men's ODI rankings are Kapil Dev, Maninder Singh, Anil Kumble, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah.