Hardik Pandya back as No. 1 T20I all-rounder in latest ICC rankings
The Indian all-rounder was adjudged the Player of the Series in last month’s series against Bangladesh.
Cricket
India’s Hardik Pandya rose two places to reclaim the top position in the latest ICC T20I Men’s Batting Rankings released on Wednesday.
It is Pandya’s second time at the top of this list this year following India’s T20 World Cup victory in the USA and West Indies in June.
Hardik Pandya showcased great form with both bat and ball in the Indian men’s cricket team’s 3-0 series win against Bangladesh at home last month and was adjudged the Player of the Series with 118 runs and one wicket. He contributed heavily at crucial junctures in matches when India needed him the most.
The ace Mumbai all-rounder also produced some notable displays during India’s 3-1 away win over South Africa earlier this month.
On the back of these showings, Hardik Pandya leapfrogged England’s Liam Livingstone and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee to take top spot in the T20I all-rounder rankings.
Meanwhile, Tilak Varma gained an astonishing 69 places to rise up to third in the T20I batting rankings. He was the Player of the Series in South Africa after scoring 280 runs in four matches. This included two centuries.
Australia’s Travis Head and England’s Phil Salt are ahead of Varma in the batting rankings.
Varma is now the best-ranked Indian batter in T20Is, ahead of Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav (4th) and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (8th).
Spinner Ravi Bishnoi (8th) and pacer Arshdeep Singh (9th) are the two Indian bowlers in the top 10 of the latest ICC Men’s T20I Bowling Rankings.
Arshdeep has been in impressive form lately and is currently India’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket with 95 scalps. Only Yuzvendra Chahal, with 96, has more.
In the team rankings, India, the reigning world champions, still top the ICC Men’s T20I World Rankings ahead of Australia and England.