India's Ashwin rises to No. 1 in Test bowling rankings

NEW DELHI, Mar 13 (Reuters): India's Ravichandran Ashwin reclaimed the top spot in the Test bowler's rankings on Wednesday following his nine-wicket haul in the fifth and final test against England last week.

It was a memorable 100th test match in Dharamsala for India's spin spearhead, who finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 26 dismissals.

Ashwin, who claimed his 500th test wicket in the third test in Rajkot, replaced team mate Jasprit Bumrah at the top of the Test rankings.

Bumrah slipped to third place behind Australia's Josh Hazlewood, who moved up two rungs after claiming six wickets in the second test against New Zealand.

It was the sixth time in his career that Ashwin rose to the top spot in ranking and it was an eventful series against England for the 37-year-old.

The off-spinner temporarily withdrew from the Rajkot test to be with his ailing mother in Chennai before he reunited with the squad on day four of the contest.