Dubai, 31 December (H.S.): Several fast bowlers from both England and Australia have made significant gains in the latest ICC Men’s Player Rankings following the recently concluded fourth Test — the Boxing Day clash in Melbourne. Remarkably, all 36 wickets in the two-day contest were taken by fast bowlers, underscoring the dominance of pace on Australian soil.

England pacer Josh Tongue, who was named Player of the Match for his seven-wicket haul, surged 13 places to reach the 30th spot with 573 rating points in the ICC Test bowling rankings. Tongue’s decisive performance powered England to their first victory of the ongoing Ashes series in Australia. He claimed five wickets in the first innings and added two more in the second, guiding England to a morale-boosting win.

Despite England’s triumph, Australia currently lead the five-match Ashes series 3–1, with the final Test scheduled to begin in Sydney on January 4.Among other English bowlers, Gus Atkinson made an impressive comeback, striking early by dismissing Australia’s key batter Travis Head with the new ball. His three wickets in the match helped him climb four spots to 13th place in the bowling rankings.

Meanwhile, Brydon Carse, who claimed five wickets, jumped six places to 23rd.On the Australian side, the pacers continue to maintain their presence at the top of the charts. Mitchell Starc’s four-wicket performance elevated him to a joint second position alongside Pakistan’s Nauman Ali, with both standing at 843 rating points.

Scott Boland also gained two places, moving up to seventh with 810 rating points.In the Test batting rankings, England’s young star Harry Brook has continued his rise, climbing three spots to second place, now just 21 points behind the top-ranked Joe Root. Root currently holds 867 points, while Brook follows closely with 846.

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson stands third, with Australia’s Travis Head and Steve Smith occupying the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.Among Test all-rounders, Gus Atkinson advanced two places to eighth (238 points), whereas England captain Ben Stokes maintained his third position with 316 points, reaffirming his consistent all-round impact.

The latest rankings highlight the growing influence of England’s emerging pacers and signal a strong comeback for the visitors ahead of the final Test in Sydney.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar