Dubai, July 29 (IANS) India’s dominance in the latest ICC rankings was underlined on Wednesday as Shubman Gill regained the No. 1 spot among ODI batters, while 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi emerged as the biggest mover in the T20I batting charts after a breakthrough series against Zimbabwe.
Fresh off India’s 3-0 clean sweep in Harare, Sooryavanshi enjoyed a spectacular leap of 230 places to break into the top 50 of the T20I batting rankings for the first time. The teenager climbed to a career-best 48th with 536 rating points after accumulating 151 runs at an average of 50.33 and earning his maiden Player of the Series award.
Despite the youngster’s rapid ascent, the top of the T20I batting rankings continues to belong to India, with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan retaining the No. 1 position. Kishan, who struck a commanding 81 during the Zimbabwe series, now has 910 rating points after briefly touching a career-high 916 during the contest. That peak placed him third on the all-time T20I batting ratings list, behind only compatriot Abhishek Sharma (931) and England’s Dawid Malan (919).
India also enjoyed gains elsewhere in the T20I batting rankings. Tilak Varma advanced two places to sixth, while Shreyas Iyer climbed seven positions to 24th. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was another major beneficiary, soaring 31 spots to 41st in the T20I bowling rankings after claiming three wickets across the Zimbabwe series.
Zimbabwe also had reason to celebrate despite the series defeat. Ryan Burl improved six places to joint 85th among T20I batters, while fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani climbed 10 positions to 26th in the bowling rankings.
In the 50-over format, Gill reclaimed the No. 1 ODI batting ranking after New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell slipped from the summit. Mitchell had occupied the top spot since January, but his absence from recent international action allowed the Indian opener to move back to the top.
The ODI bowling rankings also witnessed movement, with Namibia left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz breaking into the top seven after consistent displays in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series involving Nepal and the Netherlands in Utrecht.
The weekly rankings update also reflected standout performances in Test cricket. West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves was rewarded for his memorable outing against Pakistan in Trinidad, rising 21 places to 48th among Test bowlers and eight spots to ninth in the all-rounders’ rankings after producing five successive wicket maidens.
Elsewhere, West Indies pacer Jayden Seales climbed to 24th in the Test bowling rankings, Pakistan quick Mohammad Abbas rose to 17th, while Babar Azam’s half-century in the second innings earned him a four-place jump to 15th in the Test batting rankings.
— IANS
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