In a stunning rise, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has surged 32 places to the 32nd position in the latest ICC Men’s T20 batting rankings, just ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup preparations. This remarkable leap comes on the back of his explosive performances in the recent three-match T20I series against New Zealand, where he returned to the Indian side after a considerable hiatus.
Kishan smashed 207 runs across the series, including a career-defining maiden T20I century of 103 in the third match, complemented by scores of 76 and 28. His aggressive stroke-play not only powered India but also propelled him up the global ladder, signaling his intent for a starring role in upcoming international tournaments.
Meanwhile, India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav overtook Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan to claim the sixth spot in the batters’ list. Opener Abhishek Sharma continues to dominate at the top, maintaining his stranglehold on the number one position.
Shifting focus to all-rounders, Pakistan’s young opener Sam Ayub has dethroned Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza to become the world’s top-ranked all-rounder. The 23-year-old’s all-round brilliance in the recently concluded series against Australia—119 runs and 3 wickets—earned him this prestigious perch.
In bowling rankings, Pakistan’s lead spinner Abrar Ahmed climbed to second, trailing India’s Varun Chakaravarthy by a mere 28 rating points. Mohammad Nawaz vaulted eight places to seventh after snaring 5 wickets Down Under, while England’s Adil Rashid rose two spots to fourth. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner made a massive jump of eight places to 23rd.
Other notable movements in the top 10 batters include England’s Jos Buttler ascending to third and Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka securing fifth. New Zealand’s Tim Seifert hit ninth, and South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton skyrocketed 42 places to 40th. These shifts underscore the intense competition as teams gear up for major events.