Shanto, Mushfiq Make Big Gains in ICC Test Rankings After Galle Heroics

Bangladesh’s strong batting display in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle has been reflected in the latest ICC Test rankings, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim making significant strides.

Shanto, who made history with twin centuries (148 and 125), has jumped 21 spots to reach 29th in the ICC Test batting rankings. He became the first Bangladeshi to score two centuries in a Test match for the second time in his career — a feat rarely achieved by Test captains in global cricket.

Mushfiqur Rahim also surged up the list, climbing 11 places to occupy the 28th position. His 163-run knock in the first innings and 49 in the second were pivotal in Bangladesh's dominant performance in the Galle Test.

Opener Sadman Islam, who scored 76 in the second innings, moved up three spots and now sits at 55th among Test batters.

The bowlers also saw positive movement. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who claimed 5 wickets in the first innings and another in the second, rose six places to reach 48th. Pacer Hasan Mahmud improved by five spots to be jointly ranked 54th, alongside West Indies’ Shamar Joseph.

Elsewhere in the rankings, the recent Headingley Test between India and England also impacted the standings. Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant created history with twin centuries (134 and 118), moving up one place to 7th among Test batters.

Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a majestic 187 against Bangladesh in Galle, jumped 21 spots to reach 31st — marking his arrival among the top Test batters.

Among bowlers, India’s Jasprit Bumrah retained his top spot. In the all-rounders' list, Ravindra Jadeja remains No. 1, while England’s Ben Stokes climbed three places to reach fifth after his Headingley performance.

Young English pacers Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Prasidh Krishna also made noticeable gains in the rankings following their impressive showings in the Headingley Test.