Hardik Pandya reclaims top spot in ICC T20I Rankings (all-rounders)
Seasoned Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya has regained his status as the world's best T20I all-rounder. The development comes after an outstanding performance in India's recent series against South Africa. The 31-year-old trumped England's Liam Livingstone and Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee to clinch the top spot in the latest ICC Men's T20I Rankings for All-rounders. Here are further details on the same.
Pandya's performance secures series victory for India
Pandya's brilliant show was instrumental in India's 3-1 series win over South Africa. His well-rounded innings of 39* in the second game and a frugal spell of 1/8 from three overs in the final fourth match, played a major role in this victory. This is Pandya's second time atop T20I all-rounders' chart, having first reached the top following the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Tilak Varma leaps into top 10 of T20I batters
Apart from Pandya's success, rising star Tilak Varma has also made significant strides in the batting rankings. After his two centuries and 280 runs in the series against South Africa, Varma has catapulted a remarkable 69 places. He now sits at third place overall behind Travis Head, becoming India's highest-rated batter as team captain Suryakumar Yadav drops one spot to fourth.
Other notable shifts in T20I Rankings for Batters
Sanju Samson, who scored two centuries in the South Africa series, jumped 17 spots to 22nd on the T20I batters' list. Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis (up three spots to equal 12th) and West Indies's Shai Hope (up 16 places to 21st) also improved. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis moved 10 places up to 45th after his recent half-century against Pakistan in the 3rd and final clash.
Significant moves in T20I and ODI Bowler Rankings
Among the biggest movers in the updated T20I Rankings for Bowlers are Australian duo Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis. India's Arshdeep Singh also rose three places to ninth, achieving a new career-high rating after his performance against South Africa. In the ODI bowler rankings, Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana improved six places to sixth overall after his five-wicket haul across three matches against New Zealand.
