Jasprit Bumrah loses No.1 spot: Mitchell Starc rises to ICC top spot for first time after Bangladesh heroics

Jasprit Bumrah’s latest reign at the top lasted only two months

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc on Wednesday dethroned India’s Jasprit Bumrah to rise to the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings for the first time in his career, following his stunning 10-wicket haul in the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Mackay last week.

Australia's Mitchell Starc claps his hands while his team plays Bangladesh during the second day of their second cricket test match in Mackay (AP)

Starc was named Player of the Match in Australia’s innings-and-51-run win in Mackay after finishing with figures of 6/12 in the first innings, including a first-ball wicket and a five-wicket haul in just 22 balls. He then picked up 4/39 in the second innings. He was also named Player of the Series after taking 12 wickets across the two Tests against Bangladesh.

His performance in Mackay saw him surpass Matt Henry and Bumrah, whom he leads by 10 rating points, to claim the top spot in the ICC rankings for the first time in his career. His previous best ranking was No.2, which he first achieved after the Boxing Day Test last year.

IND vs SL Live Score, 2nd Test

Bumrah’s latest reign at the top lasted only two months, but he has spent a combined 697 days as the No.1 Test bowler, the most by an India bowler and the 14th-most ever. The India pacer would have had the chance to add to his tally had he played the Test series in Sri Lanka, but he missed the tour due to a knee injury sustained during the ODI series in England in July.

Starc hence leads the rankings with 872 points, followed by Bumrah (862) and Henry (861). Fellow Australia pacer Pat Cummins also rose to fourth after his six-wicket match haul against Bangladesh in the second Test.

England fast bowler Ollie Robinson was another significant mover after his eight-wicket match haul and Player of the Match performance in the innings-and-103-run victory over Pakistan in the first of the three Tests in Leeds. He climbed 15 places to 11th among bowlers.

From India, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar climbed 28 places to a career-best 48th position after taking 10 wickets in India’s 165-run win over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle. Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando and spinner Prabath Jayasuriya both moved up five places to 15th and 16th, respectively.

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant returned to the top 10 among batters for the first time in a year after scores of 39 and 66 in the Galle Test. He climbed six places to seventh. England’s Harry Brook remains at the top of the batting rankings, extending his lead over teammate Joe Root to 24 rating points. Brook top-scored with 90, while Root made 66 to retain the top two positions.