Mitchell Starc Dethrones Bumrah to Become No. 1 Test Bowler

Australian pacer climbs two places after a 10-wicket haul against Bangladesh

DUBAI: Australia’s Mitchell Starc has become the world’s No. 1 Test bowler for the first time in his career after a remarkable performance against Bangladesh in the second Test.

Starc moved up two places in the latest ICC Test bowling rankings after taking 10 wickets in the second Test. His impressive performance helped him overtake India’s Jasprit Bumrah and New Zealand’s Matt Henry to claim the top spot.

Bumrah, who had held the No. 1 position since February 2024, has now slipped to second place. His absence from India’s ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, combined with Starc’s outstanding performance, contributed to the change at the top.

New Zealand’s Matt Henry dropped two places to third, while Australia captain Pat Cummins moved up one spot to fourth. Another Australian spinner, Nathan Lyon, also made significant progress, climbing two places to reach 10th in the Test bowling rankings.

In the Test batting rankings, England’s Harry Brook continues to occupy the top position, followed by fellow Englishman Joe Root at second.

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant also made a notable improvement, moving up six places to seventh in the latest Test batting rankings.

Meanwhile, Pakistan women’s fast bowler Aiman Anwar has announced her immediate retirement from international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that Aiman represented Pakistan in eight ODIs and 37 T20 Internationals during her international career.

Following her retirement, Aiman has taken up a new role as a cricket referee. She has already begun her new innings as a women’s referee in the ongoing National Women’s Under-19 Tournament in Karachi.

Aiman served Pakistan as a fast bowler across both ODI and T20I formats and was part of the national women’s cricket setup for several years.