Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 4: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has made a massive leap in the latest ICC Men’s T20I batter rankings, surging 32 places after a standout comeback series against New Zealand. The left-hander piled up 207 runs in just three matches, highlighted by his maiden T20I century.
The rankings, released on the eve of the T20 World Cup beginning February 7, now place Kishan at 32nd, reflecting his return to form at a crucial time for India.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav also made gains, climbing past Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan to secure sixth position in the batting charts. At the top, opener Abhishek Sharma continued his impressive run, retaining the No. 1 spot.
Pakistan, meanwhile, dominated the all-rounders’ rankings following their clean sweep of Australia in the recent T20I series. Opener Saim Ayub rose to the top of the all-rounders’ list after scoring 119 runs and picking up three wickets across the three matches, displacing Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza from the summit.
Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed also enjoyed a strong rise, moving up to second place in the bowlers’ rankings. The right-arm spinner now trails India’s Varun Chakravarthy, who remains at No. 1, by just 28 points.
Another Pakistani all-rounder, Mohammad Nawaz, climbed eight spots to seventh in the bowlers’ list after claiming a five-wicket haul during the series.
Elsewhere, England leg-spinner Adil Rashid advanced two places to fourth, while New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner made a notable jump of eight positions to joint 23rd.
Several changes were also seen among the top T20I batters. England’s former skipper Jos Buttler climbed to third, Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka rose to fifth, and New Zealand’s Tim Seifert moved up to ninth.
Outside the top 10, South Africa opener Ryan Rickelton recorded one of the biggest climbs, jumping 42 places to 40th. Australian all-rounder Cameron Green moved up 16 spots to 14th, while Proteas star Quinton de Kock, after scoring a scintillating century, surged 15 places to 22nd.
With the T20 World Cup just days away, the latest rankings underline shifting momentum and red-hot form across teams — and Ishan Kishan’s resurgence is one of the biggest talking points heading into the tournament.