Dubai, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
England batter Harry Brook has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, replacing Australia opener Travis Head after his poor returns in the opening Test of the World Test Championship series against Bangladesh.
Brook has now occupied the top spot on four occasions, first reaching No. 1 in December 2024. Joe Root has moved to second, while Australia’s Steve Smith climbed to third after scores of 71 and 44 in the Darwin Test. Head slipped down the rankings after managing only 22 and 17.
Bangladesh’s nine-wicket victory over Australia also produced significant gains for several of its players. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto jumped nine places to a career-best 20th after scoring 84 in the first innings. His 659 rating points are the sixth-highest tally achieved by a Bangladeshi batter.
Mominul Haque rose five places to 31st, while Shadman Islam moved three places to 58th and Mehidy Hasan Miraz climbed five places to 59th. Tanzid Hasan made the biggest jump among Bangladesh batters, advancing 84 places to share 88th position.
Australia all-rounder Cameron Green also moved five places to 30th following his second-innings century. With only 33 rating points separating the first four batters below the top-ranked positions, further changes could come after England’s home Test series against Pakistan and the second Test between Australia and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud was another major mover. His six-wicket haul for 55 runs in the first innings earned him Player of the Match honours and lifted him 26 places to 38th among Test bowlers. Mehidy’s five-wicket haul for 66 in the second innings moved him three places to 24th, according to the ICC.
In the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, Afghanistan opener Sediqullah Atal made the biggest move of the week. His scores of 143 and 98 in the final two matches of Afghanistan’s five-match series against Ireland propelled him 37 places to 33rd.
Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher rose 23 places to 36th after scores of 84 and 96, while Canada’s Pargat Singh climbed 10 places to 85th following his 42 against Scotland in an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Dundee. Ireland batter Andrew Balbirnie moved five places to 47th.
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