Published : 27 Aug 2026, 04:16 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:36 AM
Mitchell Starc has climbed to the top of the ICC Test bowling rankings for the first time in his career after his 10-wicket haul powered Australia to a series-levelling victory over Bangladesh in Mackay.
The 36-year-old left-arm quick jumped two places to overtake India’s Jasprit Bumrah and New Zealand’s Matt Henry in the latest rankings released by the ICC on Wednesday.
Starc produced figures of 6-12 and 4-39 in the second Test as Australia crushed Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs inside two days at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.
The performance earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards and took him 10 rating points clear of Bumrah at the top of the rankings.
It was Starc’s first ascent to No 1 during a Test career spanning around 15 years. His previous best ranking was second, which he first achieved after the Boxing Day Test last year.
Bumrah, who has missed India’s ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, slipped to second, while Henry dropped to third.
Starc had begun the Mackay Test in devastating fashion, dismissing Shadman Islam with the first ball of the match before tearing through Bangladesh’s top order.
He completed his five-wicket haul in only 22 deliveries and eventually finished with 6-12 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64 in their first innings. It was one of the fastest five-wicket hauls in Test history.
The spell also carried Starc past South Africa great Dale Steyn on the list of Test cricket’s leading wicket-takers.
He added four more wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings to finish with match figures of 10-51 as Australia bounced back from their shock defeat in Darwin to draw the two-Test series 1-1.
Starc was not the only Australian bowler to move up the rankings following the series.
Captain Pat Cummins rose one place to fourth after taking six wickets in Mackay, while veteran spinner Nathan Lyon climbed two places to 10th.
Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam was also rewarded for his performance in Mackay, jumping 17 places to 57th in the Test bowling rankings after claiming a career-best 7-48 in Australia’s innings.
The second Test proved a dramatic reversal for Bangladesh after they had stunned Australia in Darwin in the series opener.
Starc, however, spearheaded Australia’s response in Mackay and ended the series at the summit of the Test bowling rankings for the first time in his career.
