ICC Test Rankings: R Ashwin stands chance to go top of the bowler's rankings during India's tour of West Indies
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be gunning for the No.1 spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers as an interesting contest promises to develop with Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who wrested the top spot following a 10-wicket haul in the Lord’s Test that ended on Sunday.
Yasir is seven points ahead of Ashwin with three more matches to go against England. One will have to wait and see how long the two can continue the rare occurrence of two spinners at the top. The last time slow bowlers took the top two slots was in March 2006 when Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne peaked to number one and two positions, respectively.
India’s left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is the other India bowler inside the top 10 in the sixth spot, while fast bowler Ishant Sharma is ranked in 20th place.
For the West Indies and in the absence of an injured 21st-raned Kemar Roach, Sulieman Benn will start the series as his side’s top-ranked bowler in 26th place.
Top 10 ICC Test Bowlers:
| Rank | Player (Country) | Points |
| 1 | Yasir Shah (Pakistan) | 878 |
| 2 | Ravichandran Ashwin (India) | 871 |
| 3 | James Anderson (England) | 868 |
| 4 | Stuart Broad (England) | 859 |
| 5 | Dale Steyn (South Africa) | 841 |
| 6 | Ravindra Jadeja (India) | 789 |
| 7 | Trent Boult (New Zealand) | 757 |
| 8 | Josh Hazlewood (Australia) | 741 |
| 9 | Morne Morkel (South Africa) | 724 |
| 10 | Vernon Philander (South Africa) | 717 |