Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 28: Indian T20I captain Surya Kumar Yadav has made a strong return to the top ten of the ICC men’s T20I batters’ rankings, climbing five places to seventh in the latest update released on Wednesday. His rise comes on the back of an impressive showing in the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which India currently leads 3-0.
After enduring a prolonged lean patch in the shortest format, Suryakumar rediscovered his touch with a match-winning 82 in the second T20I, ending a 468-day wait for a half-century. He followed it up with a rapid 57 off just 26 deliveries in the next match, maintaining his resurgence and boosting his rankings significantly.
At the top of the T20I batting charts, India opener Abhishek Sharma further consolidated his position after a blazing 68-run knock in the third T20I. With 929 rating points, he has now stretched his lead at the summit to a commanding 80-point margin.
India’s bowlers also made notable strides. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah climbed four places to 13th in the bowlers’ rankings after picking up three wickets against the Blackcaps in the third match of the series. Meanwhile, spinner Varun Chakravarthy continues to hold on to the top spot following another standout performance against New Zealand.
Among all-rounders, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube continued their upward movement. Hardik rose one place to reach third in the rankings, while Dube made a significant jump of five spots to sit at 11th, reflecting their consistent contributions in the series.
From the New Zealand camp, Glenn Phillips registered one of the biggest gains, moving up 18 places to 44th in the batters’ rankings after a solid run against India. South Africa captain Aiden Markram climbed to 20th, while West Indies power-hitter Brandon King surged 15 places.
In the bowlers’ list, Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman, South Africa’s Corbin Bosch, and West Indies seamer Matthew Forde also made notable progress, climbing five, eight, and 19 places respectively.
In ODIs, England’s batting duo Harry Brook and Joe Root were rewarded for their performances in the series win against Sri Lanka. Brook moved up to 11th in the ODI batters’ rankings, while Root climbed six places to 17th.