Dubai, Oct 28 (IANS) India’s Abhishek Sharma reclaimed the top spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings, while South Africa’s Marco Jansen became the No. 1 ranked Test bowler and all-rounder following the latest update to the Men’s Player Rankings released on Wednesday.
Jansen achieved the top ranking in both categories for the first time in his career after an impressive performance in South Africa’s victory over Australia in the second Test match in Gqeberha. The left-arm pacer scored 85 runs and took a match-turning five-wicket haul in Australia’s first innings.
The 26-year-old moved up 13 places to 56th in the Test batting rankings, climbed five spots to overtake Australia’s Mitchell Starc at the top of the Test bowling charts and rose one place to displace India’s Ravindra Jadeja as the leading Test all-rounder.
Jadeja had held the top spot among Test all-rounders for more than four years. Jansen’s rise comes after former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn recently described him as ‘the best cricketer in the world’.
Abhishek, meanwhile, returned to the top of the T20I batting rankings after his explosive century against New Zealand in Wellington in the third match of the series on Tuesday.
The left-hander reached his hundred in just 35 balls and finished with 113 off 38 deliveries as India secured a six-wicket victory to clinch the series. His innings helped him displace teammate Ishan Kishan from the top spot.
Kishan had taken the No. 1 position from Abhishek in July this year following a series of impressive performances in Ireland. Abhishek had first reached the top of the T20I batting rankings in July 2025, overtaking Australia’s Travis Head.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma was another major gainer in the latest update, moving up four places to second in the Test batting rankings after being named Player of the Match against Australia in the second Test.
Bavuma scored 179 in the first innings as South Africa levelled the three-match series 1-1. England captain Harry Brook remains the only batter ahead of him in the rankings.
Australia pacer Scott Boland climbed three places to sixth in the Test bowling rankings, while South Africa spinner Simon Harmer gained 15 spots to eighth in the Test all-rounder rankings, which are now led by Jansen.
India’s Sanju Samson moved up six places to 20th in the T20I batting rankings, while New Zealand’s Finn Allen climbed three spots to 25th. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner rose seven places to seventh in the T20I bowling rankings, while India’s Arshdeep Singh gained six spots to 15th.
There were also changes in the ODI rankings as the tri-series involving hosts Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka continued. England’s Ben Duckett and Brook made gains in the ODI batting rankings.
Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi climbed two places to sixth in the ODI bowling rankings, while Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai rose 13 spots to seventh. Namibia spinner Bernard Scholtz gained nine places to eighth.
Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi also moved up five places to third in the ODI all-rounder rankings.
–IANS
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