Pat Cummins inches towards top spot in ICC Test bowling rankings

Pat Cummins is inches away from becoming the world's top-ranked Test bowler after the ICC released its updated rankings.

After taking 14 wickets at 7.78 in the two Tests against Sri Lanka, 25-year-old Cummins has vaulted to second in the rankings, and is just four ratings points behind South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada.

Cummins leapfrogs England veteran James Anderson, who has dropped to third despite being a solid mainstay for his side as they conceded two heavy defeats to the West Indies. Windies skipper Jason Holder, meanwhile, has launched to sixth in the rankings.

Cummins wasn't the only Australian to make a move, with Mitchell Starc jumping to 15th after he took 10 wickets against Sri Lanka in Canberra.

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Starc's equal-highest rating (805) and highest ranking (5th) came after his nine-wicket effort in Durban against South Africa last year.

That match featured his most recent five-wicket haul prior to his Canberra masterclass, where he earned player-of-the-match honours with hauls of 5/54 and 5/46.

Meanwhile, England's West Indies nightmare affected skipper Joe Root, who dropped to eighth in the batting rankings.

In four innings in the Caribbean, Root has managed just 40 runs as his side slumped to 381-run and 10-wicket defeats.

Root was usurped in the top five by New Zealand's Henry Nicholls, who joins Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson in the top half of the 10.

After their Canberra centuries, Usman Khawaja (13th) and Travis Head (20th) both rose up the rankings.

ICC TEST BATTING RANKINGS

*Banned from international cricket until March 29 2019

ICC TEST BOWLING RANKINGS