India's superstar cricketer Hardik Pandya has reasserted his dominance by becoming the world no.1 all-rounder in the latest ICC T20I rankings. Hardik Pandya's recent exploits in the just-concluded T20I series against South Africa, where he excelled both with the bat and the ball, were instrumental in propelling him to the top of the all-rounder's rankings.
Meanwhile, the young and talented Tilak Varma has also made significant strides in his career. He has impressively broken into the top 10 T20I batters, solidifying India's strong position in the rankings.
Hardik Pandya reclaims no.1 spot in T20I all-rounder rankings
Hardik Pandya's exceptional all-round performance was a key factor in India's dominant 3-1 series victory over South Africa. In the second match, his unbeaten 39-run knock proved crucial in stabilizing India's innings during a challenging period, though India narrowly missed out on a win. However, Pandya's economical bowling spell of 1/8 in the fourth and final match played a decisive role in securing India's series triumph.
This outstanding performance has propelled Pandya back to the top of the ICC Men's T20I all-rounder rankings. This marks his second time at the summit, having previously achieved the feat after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Tilak Varma's surge in T20I batting rankings
Tilak Varma's exceptional performance in the series against South Africa earned him the well-deserved Player of the Series award. His outstanding batting display, which included two centuries and a total of 280 runs, propelled him 69 places up the T20I batting rankings. This significant rise has positioned him at the third spot, just behind Australia's Travis Head and England's Phil Salt.
Varma's remarkable achievement has also made him India's highest-ranked batter, surpassing skipper Suryakumar Yadav who has slipped one place to the fourth position.
| Rank | Team | Player | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | Hardik Pandya | 244 |
| 2 | Nepal | Dipendra Singh Airee | 231 |
| 3 | England | Liam Livingstone | 230 |
| 4 | Australia | Marcus Stoinis | 209 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka | Wanindu Hasaranga | 209 |
| 6 | Afghanistan | Mohammad Nabi | 205 |
| 7 | Zimbabwe | Sikandar Raza | 186 |
| 8 | West Indies | Romario Shepherd | 175 |
| 9 | South Africa | Aiden Markram | 168 |
| 10 | Namibia | Gerhard Erasmus | 164 |
Sanju Samson's impressive performance in the series against South Africa, which included two centuries, propelled him 17 places up the T20I batting rankings to the 22nd position.
For the South African team, Tristan Stubbs' consistent performance lifted him to the 23rd spot in the rankings. Additionally, Heinrich Klaasen's strong showing resulted in a six-place jump, placing him at the 59th position.
