Our Bureau
New Delhi
India’s dominant performance in the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan has been rewarded in the latest ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, with opener Abhishek Sharma climbing to a career-best second position among batters and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah breaking back into the top 10 bowlers.
The rankings update comes after India secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with several players delivering match-winning performances across the opening two encounters.
Abhishek’s rise follows his explosive 82-run knock in the first T20I against Afghanistan, a performance that helped him move past Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and claim the No. 2 spot in the batting rankings. The left-handed opener now trails fellow Indian batter Ishan Kishan, who continues to lead the charts. The two are separated by 51 rating points, giving India the distinction of having the top two batters in the format.
India’s gains were not limited to the batting rankings. Bumrah surged seven places to enter the top 10 T20I bowlers at No. 10 after a consistent series against Afghanistan. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy also continued his upward trajectory, climbing two spots to fifth, while left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh made an 11-place jump to 14th. All-rounder Axar Patel rose six places to 27th.
Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was another beneficiary of India’s strong performance. His attacking half-century in the second T20I helped him climb four places to 30th among batters.
The latest update underlines India’s growing depth in white-ball cricket and reflects the team’s commanding run in the shortest format.