ICC Men's Test bowling rankings: Bumrah leads the pack – Guess who's at no. 2?

The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently released the latest men's Test bowling rankings, and there are no surprises who sits at the top. India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah continues to reign supreme after a fiery performance in the first Test against England in Leeds. Bumrah was at his lethal best in the series opener, picking up a brilliant five-wicket haul in the first innings, troubling England’s top order with pace, bounce and lateral movement. Although India couldn’t seal the win, Bumrah’s impact was felt throughout the match. With consistency and class, he has rightly retained the No. 1 spot in the ICC rankings.

While Bumrah sits comfortably at the top with 907 rating points, one question comes – who’s chasing him from behind?

Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s fast-bowling sensation, is currently ranked the No. 2 bowler in the world with 868 rating points. He recently showcased his exceptional talent with a remarkable performance against Australia at Lord’s during the World Test Championship Final 2023-2025. In that summit clash, Rabada scalped nine wickets, including five in the first innings and four in the second innings.

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Rabada had a phenomenal WTC 2023–25 cycle. In 11 Test matches, he picked 56 wickets in just 22 innings, the most for South Africa. His average was an outstanding 21.04, and he struck every 19 balls while keeping the economy under 4. He also recorded four five-wicket hauls, including a standout spell of 6/46 against Bangladesh in Dhaka - his best figures in the cycle, a spell that helped South Africa win their first Test in Asia since 2014.

Meanwhile, in his career so far, Rabada has played 71 Tests, taking 336 wickets, including 17 five-fors and four ten-wicket match hauls.

At his best, he reached a career-high rating of 902 against Australia at St.George's Park in 2018.