Mumbai: Hardik Pandya has regained the top spot as the premier T20I all-rounder in the latest ICC rankings. Concurrently, the emerging star Tilak Varma has impressively broken into the top 10 batters, bolstering India’s standing in the rankings.
Pandya overtook England’s Liam Livingstone and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee to reclaim the leading position. His remarkable performance in India’s four-match series against South Africa, where he excelled with both bat and ball, was pivotal in his ascent to the top. At the age of 31, Pandya continues to demonstrate his all-round prowess on the global stage.
Hardik Pandya’s versatile talent was key to India’s dominant 3-1 series victory over South Africa. His undefeated 39 runs in the second match steadied India’s innings at a critical juncture, despite India’s loss as South Africa successfully chased the target. His frugal bowling figures of 1/8 in three overs in the decisive fourth match secured the series win for India. This outstanding performance enabled Pandya to reclaim the number one position in the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings, marking the second occasion the Indian ace has achieved this feat, having first ascended to the top following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier in the year.
T20I all-rounder rankings
| 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 |
Another standout performer was Tilak Varma, who earned Player of the Series honours for his incredible run with the bat. Varma smashed two centuries and amassed 280 runs across the series, propelling him 69 spots up the rankings to third, just behind Australia’s Travis Head, the top-ranked T20I batter and the 2nd-ranked Phil Salt. This surge also makes Varma India’s highest-rated batter, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav slipping one place to fourth.
Sanju Samson also had an impressive series, scoring two centuries that boosted him 17 spots to 22nd in the T20I batting rankings. For South Africa, Tristan Stubbs climbed to 23rd after a consistent showing, while Heinrich Klaasen rose six spots to equal 59th.
The series not only showcased India’s dominance but also presented individual brilliance, marking a promising future for the team.
