Mitchell Starc dethrones Jasprit Bumrah at top of ICC Test bowling rankings

Star Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has dethroned India’s Jasprit Bumrah at the top of the ICC Test bowling rankings. In the latest rankings released by the ICC on Wednesday, August 26, Starc has risen to the number one spot for the first time in his career.

It brings Bumrah’s long reign at the top to an end after he first attained pole position in February 2024 and maintained it for much of the last two years.

However, his absence in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, along with Starc’s remarkable performance against Bangladesh, has made a major change at the top.

Starc recently picked up his fourth ten-wicket haul in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay to set up a massive win by an innings and 51 runs for his team to level the series 1-1. As a result, he jumped up two places to go past Bumrah and New Zealand pacer Matt Henry to take the top spot.

He’s currently ranked at the top with 872 ratings to his name, while Bumrah has slipped to second with 862 ratings, and Henry is third with 861 ratings.

Apart from Starc, his teammate Pat Cummins climbed one spot to fourth after taking six wickets in the second Test against Bangladesh, while spinner Nathan Lyon moved up two places to 10th.

Rishabh Pant rises to 7th spot

Meanwhile, the top of the Test batting rankings remains unchanged, with England’s Harry Brook and Joe Root occupying first and second place respectively, just ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith and Travis Head in third and fourth.

India’s Rishabh Pant is the biggest mover inside the top 10, climbing six places to share seventh with captain Shubman Gill after his quickfire half-century in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.