James Anderson regains top spot in ICC Test bowling rankings
England seamer supplants Kagiso Rabada, with India's Ravindra Jadeja remaining in third place
Tuesday 24 July 2018 12:47, UK
James Anderson has regained top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings ahead of South Africa seamer Kagiso Rabada.
Rabada has dropped to second despite picking up eight wickets across two Tests in the Proteas' 2-0 series defeat in Sri Lanka, with a best of 4-50 in the opener in Galle.
Anderson, who claimed nine wickets in England's drawn two-Test series at home to Pakistan earlier this summer, has 892 points, with Rabada on 882 and India spinner Ravindra Jadeja third on 866.
Anderson bowled for the first time in first-team cricket since June when he played for Lancashire in the Specsavers County Championship Roses clash against Yorkshire as he attempted to prove his fitness for England's five-Test series against India, which starts on Wednesday, August 1.
The 35-year-old, who took six weeks off to rest a shoulder injury following the Pakistan series, bowled 24 overs across Yorkshire's two innings, picking up the wickets of Adam Lyth and England Test captain Joe Root.
Anderson is expected to be included in the England squad for the first Test at Edgbaston when the party is announced on Thursday.
Stuart Broad, the only other English bowler in the top 20 of the ICC rankings at 12th, is also back bowling for Nottinghamshire after suffering an ankle injury and should, too, make England's squad.
Watch England's five-match Test series against India - starting with the first Test, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10am on Wednesday, August 1.
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