Bumrah Leads Updated ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings as December 2025 List Reveals Tight Race at the Top

New Zealand’s in-form seamer Matt Henry holds the second spot with 853 rating points, matching his own career-best performance recorded against the West Indies at Christchurch in 2025. Close behind is Australia’s seasoned left-arm quick Mitchell Starc, ranked third with 852, also mirroring his peak rating reached versus England at Brisbane earlier this year.

Pakistan’s Noman Ali occupies the fourth position with a solid 843 rating, though this is slightly below his personal best of 853, earned in a standout spell against South Africa in Lahore. South Africa’s rising all-rounder Marco Jansen follows at No. 5 with 825 points, reflecting the career-best mark he achieved against India at Guwahati in 2025.

Australia continues to feature heavily in the top tier, with captain Pat Cummins placed sixth at 821, significantly below his extraordinary career-high of 914 set against England at Old Trafford in 2019. South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, long considered one of the modern era’s premier fast bowlers, is seventh with 807, compared to his peak rating of 902 earned against Australia in Gqeberha in 2018.

Australia’s veteran seamer Josh Hazlewood sits at No. 8 with 799, while his best remains 864 from a memorable Test against India in Bengaluru in 2017. His compatriot Scott Boland, whose late-career surge has drawn global attention, holds the ninth position with a 770 rating, just shy of his 2025 peak of 785 achieved against England in Perth. Completing the top ten is Australia’s prolific off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who stands at 757 rating points, down from his highest mark of 812 recorded during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in Galle earlier this year.

The updated rankings underscore a tightly contested battle among elite Test bowlers, with familiar names maintaining their grip at the top while new performances continue to reshape the competitive order. As the 2025 season enters its final stretch, the rankings reflect both sustained excellence and the evolving dynamics of Test cricket’s most influential performers.