The ICC have released their latest Test rankings, with Bangladesh left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam making a significant jump. Australia’s Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, has reached the top of the Test bowling rankings for the first time in his career.
Bangladesh’s historic Test victory over Australia in Darwin added another memorable chapter to the country’s red-ball cricket history. Following that win, Bangladesh climbed to a best-ever sixth place in the Test team rankings.
Sri Lanka’s heavy defeat to India in the Galle Test has left Bangladesh’s position unchanged. Mehidy Hasan Miraz remains third in the all-rounders’ rankings, while he has moved up one place to 23rd among Test bowlers.
Hasan Mahmud’s outstanding five-wicket haul in Darwin had boosted his standing, but his below-par performance in the Mackay Test has seen him slide down the rankings. He has dropped nine places to 47th.
Shoriful, however, has made a significant surge. The left-arm pacer has climbed 17 places to 57th after producing a career-defining performance in the Mackay Test against Australia.
His seven-wicket haul in a single innings was a record for a Bangladesh bowler in Tests against Australia and underlined his ability to make an impact in the longest format. His rise in the rankings reflects that performance.
The Australia-Bangladesh series has also brought a major milestone for Starc. After taking 10 wickets in the Mackay Test, the left-arm quick has become the world’s No. 1 Test bowler for the first time in his long career.
Jasprit Bumrah had held the top spot for more than two years, but his absence from India’s series against Sri Lanka has allowed the rankings to shift. Starc took full advantage, climbing two places to move into first.
The Australian has also overtaken New Zealand’s Matt Henry, who now sits behind Starc and Bumrah in the rankings.
