भारतीय मिस्ट्री स्पिनer Varun Chakravarthy has officially claimed the coveted number one spot in the ICC Men’s T20I bowling rankings for 2025. This significant achievement places him in an elite club, as he becomes only the third Indian bowler, after Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi, to reach the top.
The 34-year-old’s ascent is a testament to his consistent and impactful performances in recent matches, particularly his outstanding spells during the ongoing Asia Cup.
Chakravarthy’s journey to the top ranking was significantly boosted by his second career five-wicket haul against England earlier this year. His stellar contributions in the Asia Cup, including impressive figures of 1/4 against UAE and 1/24 against arch-rivals Pakistan, were crucial in his three-spot leap to the leading position.
The latest rankings update has brought about notable shifts across various categories in T20I cricket. In the bowling department, New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy has climbed to second place, while West Indies’ Akeal Hosein has held firm at third. Australia’s Adam Zampa has also moved up to fourth.
Several other bowlers have seen significant improvements in their rankings. Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara advanced six places to occupy the sixth spot, and Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed rose to 11th and 16th positions, respectively. India’s own Kuldeep Yadav made a substantial jump of 16 places, landing him at the 23rd position.
In the batting rankings, young Indian talent Abhishek Sharma has achieved a new career-high, now ranked as the No. 1 T20I batter after his impactful innings of 31 against Pakistan. England’s Phil Salt and Jos Buttler secure the second and third positions, respectively.
The batting charts also saw considerable movement, with South African players making impressive strides. Dewald Brevis climbed two places to 11th, while Aiden Markram advanced 10 spots to share the 30th position.
The Asia Cup tournament has clearly left its mark on player rankings. Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka moved up to sixth place, and Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz is now at the 19th position. Bangladesh’s Tanzid Hasan and India’s Test captain Shubman Gill also improved their standings, reaching 35th and 39th positions, respectively.
In the all-rounders’ category, India’s dynamic Hardik Pandya maintains his dominance at the top. Pakistan’s Saim Ayub has risen four places to share the fifth position, and Abhishek Sharma, alongside his batting success, has moved up four spots to reach 14th place in this crucial category.