Darwin Victory Lifts Najmul and Bangladesh Stars in Rankings

Bangladesh’s historic Test victory over Australia in Darwin has been followed by a significant rise in the latest player rankings, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto reaching the highest position of his career.

Najmul’s composed 84 in Bangladesh’s first innings proved particularly valuable in a match where the visitors secured a memorable victory against the hosts. Having batted only once in the Test, the Bangladesh captain nevertheless climbed nine places to 20th in the Test batting rankings, marking the best ranking of his career.

Najmul, however, remains second among Bangladesh’s batsmen in the latest standings. Mushfiqur Rahim is still the country’s highest-ranked Test batter, occupying 18th place with an eight-point advantage over his captain. Mushfiqur’s ranking remained unchanged after he played his 104th Test in Darwin.

Several other Bangladesh batsmen also benefited from their performances. Mominul Haque moved up five places to 31st, while opener Shadman Islam gained three places to reach 58th. Mehidy Hasan Miraz also climbed five places and now sits 59th.

The biggest movement among Bangladesh’s batsmen came from Tanzid Hasan. The young opener produced a century in the first innings of only his second Test and was rewarded with an extraordinary 84-place rise to 88th. His rapid climb reflects the immediate impact of his performance and gives Bangladesh another promising option at the top of the order.

Australia’s Travis Head, meanwhile, paid the price for an unproductive match against Bangladesh. After scores of 22 and 17, he dropped three places to fourth in the Test batting rankings. England’s Harry Brook moved into first place, while Joe Root climbed to second and Australia’s Steve Smith remained third. Despite losing the top position, Head is only 33 rating points behind Brook, leaving the battle for the leading spot closely contested.

There were also notable changes in the bowling rankings. India’s Jasprit Bumrah retained the number-one position despite missing the Galle Test. Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam remains the country’s leading bowler at 11th, with no change to his position.

Mehidy made a significant contribution with the ball as well, taking five wickets in Australia’s second innings. His performance lifted him three places to 24th in the Test bowling rankings.

Hasan Mahmud recorded the most striking rise among Bangladesh’s bowlers. He claimed nine wickets across the match, taking six in the first innings and three in the second, and was named player of the match. His outstanding display propelled him 26 places upwards to a career-best 38th position.

Taskin Ahmed also improved by one place to 49th, while Ebadot Hossain advanced four places to 82nd.

In the Test all-rounder rankings, Mehidy remains third, maintaining his position behind India’s Ravindra Jadeja, who continues to lead the list. Mehidy’s simultaneous impact with both bat and ball remains one of Bangladesh’s major strengths and has been reflected in his steady position among the world’s leading Test all-rounders.

The latest rankings underline the significance of Bangladesh’s Darwin triumph. Beyond the historic result itself, the victory has translated into substantial individual gains, particularly for Najmul, Tanzid and Hasan, while established performers such as Mushfiqur and Taijul have retained strong positions. The movement also highlights the growing depth within Bangladesh’s Test squad as several players continue to establish themselves on the international stage.