ICC Rankings: Starc reclaims No.1 Test spot, Iyer rises to 7th in T20Is
Synopsis
Mitchell Starc has clawed back cricket's most coveted bowling ranking with a career-best 881 rating — the second time he has displaced a rival for the No.1 Test spot this year. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer's rise to seventh in T20I batting signals India's growing firepower in the shortest format. The rankings reshuffle after Cape Town and New Zealand tells the story of a fiercely contested pecking order across all three formats.
Key Takeaways
Mitchell Starc reclaimed the No.1 position in ICC Test Bowling Rankings with a career-best rating of 881 after taking nine wickets in the Cape Town Test.
Marco Jansen lost the top bowling spot but reached a career-high rating to consolidate his lead in the Test all-rounders' rankings .
Shreyas Iyer rose two places to seventh in T20I batting rankings following India's series win in New Zealand.
Simon Harmer jumped nine places to seventh in Test bowling after a match-winning six-wicket haul at Newlands.
Ryan Rickelton made the biggest batting jump among South Africans, climbing 25 places to 23rd with a career-best Test batting rating.
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai moved to third in T20I all-rounders after a Player of the Series performance against Zimbabwe in the UAE.
Mitchell Starc has reclaimed the top position in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings after a commanding series-closing display against South Africa, while India T20I captain Shreyas Iyer climbed two places to seventh in the latest T20I batting rankings released on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The updated rankings follow the conclusion of the Australia vs South Africa three-match Test series in Cape Town and India's series win in New Zealand.
Starc Returns to the Summit
Mitchell Starc, the Australian left-arm pacer, climbed one place to overtake South Africa's Marco Jansen, finishing with nine wickets across the third and final Test at Cape Town. The performance powered Starc to a new career-best rating of 881, returning him to the pinnacle of Test bowling. Starc had first reached the top of the rankings in August after ending Jasprit Bumrah's reign, only for Jansen to seize the lead following a six-wicket haul in the second Test at Gqeberha. With Jansen managing just three wickets in Cape Town, Starc reclaimed the crown.
South Africa's Big Movers: Harmer and Mulder
Off-spinner Simon Harmer was among the biggest gainers in the bowling charts, jumping nine places to seventh after his match-winning six-wicket haul in Australia's second innings at Newlands — a performance that sealed both the match and the series for South Africa. He now sits one place ahead of compatriot Kagiso Rabada. Despite losing the No.1 Test bowling spot, Jansen reinforced his grip at the top of the Test all-rounders' rankings, reaching a career-high rating after scoring a half-century in the third Test. Wiaan Mulder climbed one place to third among all-rounders and gained seven positions to reach 17th in the Test batting charts, while Harmer moved up three spots to fifth in the all-rounders' list.
Test Batting: Markram, Rickelton and Australian Gains
Aiden Markram rose one place to 11th in the Test batting rankings, while Ryan Rickelton made the most dramatic jump among South African batters, climbing 25 places to 23rd and achieving a career-best rating. Australia's Cameron Green and Alex Carey also made ground, moving up three and two places respectively to share 19th position. West Indies batter Justin Greaves jumped 12 places to joint 38th after his side's eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first Test in Mirpur. West Indies bowlers Jomel Warrican and Roston Chase also improved, moving to 30th in Test bowling and joint 23rd among all-rounders respectively.
ODI Rankings: Afridi, Rauf and Zaman Move Up
In the ODI bowling charts, Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi moved up one place to fifth and Haris Rauf gained five positions to reach 24th, following the conclusion of a tri-series on home soil. Fakhar Zaman climbed nine places to 37th in ODI batting. England's Ben Duckett moved up one spot to sixth, while Sri Lanka's Pavan Rathnayake made a notable jump of 20 places to 16th.
T20I Rankings: Iyer's Rise and New Zealand Gains
India's Shreyas Iyer climbed two places to seventh in the T20I batting rankings, a rise attributed to India's series win in New Zealand. New Zealand's Glenn Phillips gained 13 places to 24th among T20I batters, while bowler Mitchell Santner moved two places up to fifth and teammate Jacob Duffy made a striking jump of 23 positions to 23rd. Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai gained three places to reach third in the T20I all-rounders' rankings after his Player of the Series display in Afghanistan's series victory over Zimbabwe in the UAE. The next ranking update will reflect upcoming bilateral series across all three formats.
Point of View
Bumrah — truly is; one five-wicket haul can reshuffle the entire order. For India, Iyer's rise to seventh is a positive signal, but the more telling number will be whether he can hold that position through a fuller home season. The rankings also quietly highlight Afghanistan's growing T20I credentials: Omarzai's jump to third among all-rounders is a data point that reflects a programme punching well above its resources.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Mitchell Starc reclaim the No.1 ICC Test bowling ranking?
Mitchell Starc returned to the top of the ICC Test Bowling Rankings by taking nine wickets in the third and final Test against South Africa in Cape Town, earning a career-best rating of 881. His haul was enough to overtake South Africa's Marco Jansen, who had held the top spot after a six-wicket performance in the second Test at Gqeberha.
Why did Shreyas Iyer rise in the T20I batting rankings?
Shreyas Iyer climbed two places to seventh in the ICC T20I batting rankings following India's series win in New Zealand. The performances across that series earned him enough rating points to move up the chart.
Who is Marco Jansen in the ICC all-rounders' rankings now?
Despite losing the No.1 Test bowling position to Mitchell Starc, Marco Jansen strengthened his lead at the top of the ICC Test all-rounders' rankings, reaching a career-high rating after scoring a half-century in the Cape Town Test.
Which Pakistan players improved in the latest ICC ODI rankings?
Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi moved up one place to fifth in ODI bowling, while Haris Rauf gained five positions to reach 24th, following Pakistan's tri-series at home. Opener Fakhar Zaman also climbed nine places to 37th in the ODI batting list.
What was Simon Harmer's ranking movement in this update?
South Africa's Simon Harmer jumped nine places to seventh in the ICC Test bowling rankings after his match-winning six-wicket haul in Australia's second innings at Newlands, which helped South Africa clinch the series. He also moved up three spots to fifth in the Test all-rounders' list.
