Mitchell Starc Becomes No. 1 ICC Test Bowler for the First Time in His Career

 Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc has officially reached the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings for the first time in his 15-year international career.

The 36-year-old pacer climbed two spots to dethrone India’s Jasprit Bumrah following a match-winning performance in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay.

Match-Winning 10-Wicket Haul Against Bangladesh

Starc’s rise to the summit comes after a dominant display in the second Test, where he picked up 10 wickets in the match (6/12 in the first innings and 4/39 in the second). His spell helped lead Australia to an innings-and-51-run victory to level the World Test Championship series.

• Player of the Match & Series: Starc earned both awards for his series-leveling effort.

• Milestone Wickets: During the series, Starc surpassed Dale Steyn's tally of 439 wickets, solidifying his position as the most successful left-arm fast bowler in Test history.

Displacing Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah had held the No. 1 position in Test cricket for the majority of the last two years. However, Bumrah's absence from India's series against Sri Lanka, combined with Starc's 10-point rating boost (reaching 872 points), pushed the Australian into the premier spot.

Latest ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings

• 1. Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 872 points

• 2. Jasprit Bumrah (IND) – 862 points

• 3. Matt Henry (NZ) – 861 points

• 4. Pat Cummins (AUS) – 841 points