Abhishek Sharma Ascends to World No. 1 in T20I Batting, Joins Kohli and Suryakumar in Elite Club
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In a significant boost for India’s white‑ball cricket, 24‑year‑old Abhishek Sharma has climbed to the summit of the ICC T20I batting rankings, overtaking Australia’s Travis Head. With 829 rating points, Sharma now holds the top spot, while Head, who had led the rankings for over a year, drops to second with 814 points. Sharma’s rise marks him as the third Indian man to attain this ranking, joining Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.
Abhishek’s meteoric rise stems from stellar performances in recent series—particularly against South Africa and England. In just 17 T20Internationals, he’s delivered two centuries and two half-centuries, maintaining an outstanding strike rate around 193.8. His innings include a blistering 135‑off‑54 balls against England, which set him on course to his current standing.
His inclusion at the top of the rankings comes in the wake of Travis Head’s absence from the Caribbean T20I series, which Australia won 5–0. That gap allowed Sharma to surge ahead in the ratings. Meanwhile, Tilak Varma, another young Indian, is ranked third in T20I batting, with Suryakumar Yadav at sixth.
On the Test cricket front, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has reinforced his dominance as the No. 1 Test all-rounder, with 422 rating points following his match-winning century and wickets at Old Trafford. Ben Stokes has also climbed to third among Test all-rounders.
Sharma’s rise not only underscores his growing prowess and consistency in the shortest format but also highlights India’s strength in producing world-class white-ball talent. As he takes his place with Kohli and SKY in T20I batting rankings, his ascent signals a new phase in India’s dominance in global cricket.
