Ravi Bishnoi becomes world’s No.1 T20I bowler, displaces Rashid Khan

Ravi Bishnoi only made his international debut at the start of 2022, but some consistent performances for Team India  has seen the 23-year-old rise four spots on the updated rankings to claim the premier position.

Ravi Bishnoi was recently named Player of the Series during India’s successful 4-1 series triumph over Australia on home soil and has picked up a total of 34 wickets from 21 T20I matches since debuting against the West Indies in February 2022.

Ravi Bishnoi’s rise to the top has not been unexpected, with the leg-spinner first catching the eye in South Africa at the ICC Men’s Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2020 when he finished the tournament with the most wickets (17) of all players as India finished as runners up behind fellow Asian side Bangladesh.

With Bishnoi’s jump to the top it means Rashid Khan (second), Adil Rashid (equal third), Wanindu Hasaranga (equal third) and Maheesh Theekshana (fifth) all drop one spot inside the top 10, while fellow India spinner Axar Patel rises 16 places to 11th.

Meanwhile, the swashbuckling Suryakumar Yadav, who captained India during their 4-1 T20I series win against Australia, held on to the top spot among batters, while opener Ruturaj Gaikwad dropped a place to be seventh.

Hardik Pandya retained the third spot in the all-rounders’ list, despite missing the series against Australia due to injury.

India opener Shubman Gill (batting) and South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj (bowling) remain in the top position of the ODI rankings, although there were a few changes following the opening game of the series between the West Indies and England in the Caribbean.

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Published: 06 Dec 2023, 04:42 PM IST