Mackay: Mitchell Starc claims top spot in ICC Test bowler rankings
Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has achieved the No. 1 ranking in the ICC Men’s Test Bowler Rankings for the first time in his career. This shift follows his strong performance against Bangladesh, which saw him displace Jasprit Bumrah from the top position.
Starc’s ascent comes after his Player of the Series performance against Bangladesh, where he secured 10 wickets in the second Test in Mackay. This effort propelled the 36-year-old left-arm pacer up two places, moving past both Bumrah and New Zealand‘s Matt Henry.
Starc’s Rise and Bumrah’s Tenure
Starc has been a consistent presence within the top 10 for much of his 15-year Test career. He had previously reached the top three after strong performances against England in the Ashes series towards the end of last year, with his previous best ranking being No. 2, achieved after the Boxing Day Test last year.
Bumrah, who first reached the No. 1 spot in February 2024, had maintained his position for a significant part of the last two years. His absence from India‘s ongoing ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka, combined with Starc’s recent form, led to the change at the top.
Bumrah now drops to second place, while Henry moves to third. Starc currently holds a 10-rating point lead over Bumrah. Bumrah’s latest tenure as the world’s No. 1 Test bowler lasted two months, and he has spent a total of 697 days at the top of the rankings, which is the most by an Indian bowler.
Other Significant Movements in Rankings
Several other bowlers have also seen significant movements in the latest rankings. Starc’s Australian teammate, Pat Cummins, moved up one place to fourth after taking six wickets in the match against Bangladesh. Spinner Nathan Lyon also climbed two spots to 10th.
For England, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue made notable gains following their match-winning efforts against Pakistan in the first Test in Headingley. Robinson jumped 15 spots to 11th place after taking 5/51 and 3/39, while Tongue improved 16 rungs to 17th overall after taking eight wickets in the same Test.
India’s Manav Suthar saw a significant leap, moving up 28 places to a career-best No. 48 after his 10-wicket match haul against Sri Lanka in Galle. Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya both gained five places, reaching No. 15 and No. 16 respectively.
Other bowlers who moved up include Pakistan spinner Ali Usman (up 30 places to No. 67), England fast bowler Jofra Archer (up six places to joint-38th), India’s Prasidh Krishna (up two places to No. 53), and Bangladesh’s Shoriful Islam (up 17 places to No. 57).
Changes in Batting and All-Rounder Rankings
The top of the Test batter rankings remains largely unchanged, with England’s Harry Brook (first) and Joe Root (second) maintaining their positions. Brook increased his lead after scoring 90 against Pakistan. Australia’s Steve Smith is third, followed by Travis Head in fourth.
A significant mover within the top 10 batting rankings is India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who gained six spots to rise to equal seventh. This marks his return to the top 10 for the first time in a year, following scores of 39 and 66 against Sri Lanka.
Outside the top 10 for batters, gains were noted for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green (up nine spots to 21st), Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva (up two places to equal 22nd), Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique (up seven rungs to equal 27th), and India’s KL Rahul (up five slots to 30th). Devdutt Padikkal also re-entered the rankings at No. 59.
In the updated rankings for Test all-rounders, India veteran Ravindra Jadeja continues to hold the No. 1 spot. Cummins moved up one spot to seventh, Green climbed one place to equal 17th, and Robinson gained five rungs to 23rd.
Starc’s dominant performance in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay was instrumental in his rise to the top of the rankings.
Source: icc-cricket.com
