ICC Rankings Shake-up: Mitchell Starc Reclaims Test Throne, Shreyas Iyer Surges in T20Is
Mitchell Starc reclaims the top spot in ICC Test bowling rankings, while Shreyas Iyer climbs to 7th in T20I batting. Get the full update here.
The latest ICC rankings update has brought a significant shift in the global cricket hierarchy, with Australian speedster Mitchell Starc returning to the summit of the Test bowling charts. The rankings, updated following a series of high-stakes encounters across formats, also highlight a strong ascent for India's Shreyas Iyer in the shortest format of the game.
Starc Returns to the Top in Test Bowling
Mitchell Starc has officially reclaimed his position as the world's No.1 Test bowler, overtaking South Africa's Marco Jansen. This comeback is fueled by a dominant performance in the third and final ICC World Test Championship match against South Africa in Cape Town, where the Australian left-armer tore through the opposition to claim a nine-wicket match haul.
The battle for the top spot has been a volatile one. Starc first seized the crown in August, ending the reign of India's Jasprit Bumrah, before losing it to Jansen following a six-wicket haul in Gqeberha. However, with Jansen managing only three wickets in the Cape Town fixture, Starc has surged back to the premier spot, achieving a new career-best ranking.
South African Surge in Test Rankings
While Jansen lost the top bowling spot, he has strengthened his grip on the Test all-rounder rankings, reaching a new career-high rating thanks to a half-century in the third Test. South Africa's success in the series is further reflected in other rankings:
- Simon Harmer: The off-spinner made a massive leap, climbing nine places to 7th overall after a Player of the Match performance at Newlands, where he took six wickets in Australia's second innings.
- Kagiso Rabada: Now sits just one spot behind his teammate Harmer.
- Wiaan Mulder: Moved up one slot to 3rd in the all-rounder category.
- Batting Gains: Aiden Markram (11th), Wiaan Mulder (17th), and Ryan Rickelton (23rd) all saw significant climbs, with Rickelton hitting a career-best rating.
Other Test Movements: Australia and West Indies
Australia also saw gains in the batting department, with Cameron Green and Alex Carey both climbing to equal 19th. Meanwhile, the West Indies celebrated a strong showing following their eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Mirpur. Justin Greaves was the standout, jumping 12 spots to equal 38th. Jomel Warrican (30th) and Roston Chase (23rd for all-rounders) also made notable progress.
T20I Update: Shreyas Iyer Climbs
In the T20I rankings, India captain Shreyas Iyer has made a strong statement. Following India's series triumph in New Zealand, Iyer climbed two spots to reach 7th place among the world's best T20I batters.
Other notable T20I movements include:
- New Zealand: Glenn Phillips jumped 13 places to 24th, while Mitchell Santner moved to 5th and Jacob Duffy surged 23 slots to 23rd in the bowling rankings.
- Afghanistan: Azmatullah Omarzai moved up three spots to 3rd in the T20I all-rounder list, rewarding his Player of the Series effort against Zimbabwe in the UAE.
ODI Rankings: Pakistan's Pace Attack Dominates
The conclusion of the ODI tri-series in Pakistan triggered several changes in the 50-over rankings. The host nation's pacers were the primary beneficiaries:
- Shaheen Afridi: The skipper moved up one spot to 5th.
- Haris Rauf: Climbed five places to reach 24th.
- Fakhar Zaman: The opener made a significant jump of nine rungs to 37th.
Additionally, England's Ben Duckett moved up to 6th, and Sri Lanka's Pavan Rathnayake saw a dramatic rise of 20 places to settle at 16th in the ODI batting rankings.