Matt Henry ends 36-year wait, joins Jasprit Bumrah as joint No.1 in ICC Test bowling rankings

New Zealand’s Matt Henry (Ben Whitley/PA via AP) Matt Henry has officially joined Jasprit Bumrah at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings. In the latest ranking update released on 24 June 2026, both fast bowlers are tied for first place with 870 rating points, making them the world’s number one Test bowlers.

Henry ended a 36-year wait for New Zealand pacers

Henry’s rise to the top marks a historic achievement for New Zealand cricket. He became the first Kiwi fast bowler to reach the No.1 position in the ICC Test rankings since legendary pacer Sir Richard Hadlee, ending a 36-year wait for a New Zealand seamer. Only two other New Zealand bowlers have previously held the number one spot – Jack Cowie (1947) and Richard Hadlee (1984-1990).Bumrah, meanwhile, had enjoyed an uninterrupted reign at the top since November 2024 before Henry’s latest surge brought him level.

How the two pace giants compare

As of June 2026, the two highest-ranked Test bowlers in the world boast outstanding career records:BowlerTest WicketsBest Bowling FiguresBowling Average Economy RateMatt Henry1527/2326.053.11Jasprit Bumrah2346/2719.792.77Henry’s rise to the top was fueled by a sensational performance in New Zealand’s second Test win over England at The Oval. The right-arm batsman produced match figures of 11/109, taking 5/80 in the first innings and 6/29 in the second as New Zealand secured an impressive 253-run victory to level the three-match series. Henry and Bumrah have been in a league of their own in recent years. As of the start of 2022, they are the only two fast bowlers in world cricket to have taken more than 100 Test wickets while maintaining a bowling average below 20.

Trent Bridge awaits Matt Henry

Matt Henry stands on the precipice of history as he leads the New Zealand attack into the 3rd and deciding Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting tomorrow, June 25, 2026. Fresh from regaining the joint world No.1 ranking, Henry faces a place known as a fast bowler’s paradise. If Henry replicates his 11-wicket exploits from the Oval, he could become the sole owner of the ICC’s No.1 Test bowling spot, breaking the current tie with Jasprit Bumrah.