Tilak Varma on the Verge of Creating History
Young Indian batter Tilak Varma is on the brink of becoming the youngest player to top the ICC T20I batting rankings, surpassing Babar Azam’s long-standing record. The 22-year-old left-hander has climbed to a career-best second position in the latest rankings after his stellar performance against England, where he remained unbeaten on 72 in the second T20I.
At 22 years and 82 days, Tilak is just 23 rating points behind Travis Head, who currently holds the top spot. If he delivers strong performances in the remaining two T20Is against England, he could surpass Babar Azam, who first topped the rankings at 23 years and 105 days in January 2018.
Impressive Performances Leading to the Rise
Tilak’s 832 rating points rank as the fourth-highest by an Indian in T20Is, following Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul. His recent performances include:
- 107 and 120** against South Africa
- 19 and 72** against England
- His first dismissal in five innings came in the third T20I against England, where Adil Rashid bowled him out in Rajkot
With a T20I career record of 725 runs in 23 matches, averaging 55.76 with a strike rate of 155.24, and two centuries to his name, Tilak has a golden opportunity to claim the top spot in the rankings.
Adil Rashid Becomes No.1 T20I Bowler Again
In the bowling department, England’s Adil Rashid has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, replacing Akeal Hosein after just 44 days. Rashid’s impressive performances, where he registered figures of 1/14 and 1/15 in the second and third T20Is, helped England reduce India’s series lead to 2-1.
This marks the second time the England leg-spinner has topped the rankings, having previously held the position from December 2023 to December 2024.
Other Notable Movements in T20I Rankings
- Liam Livingstone climbs five places to 32nd in batting rankings
- Abhishek Sharma surges 59 places to 40th
- Varun Chakravarthy moves up 25 places to a career-best 5th position in bowling rankings
- Jofra Archer jumps 13 places to 6th
- Axar Patel advances five places to 11th
- Hardik Pandya rises eight places to 43rd
Test Rankings: Noman Ali and Jomel Warrican Achieve Career-Best Positions
In the latest ICC Test rankings, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and West Indies’ Jomel Warrican have made significant strides following their outstanding performances in the second Test in Multan.
- Noman Ali, who made history as the first Pakistani spinner to claim a Test hat-trick, picked up 10 wickets for 121 runs, propelling him four places to 5th with 806 rating points. He becomes only the 12th Pakistani bowler to cross 800 points in Tests and the only one from Pakistan in the top 20 currently.
- Jomel Warrican, who was named Player of the Match for his 9/70, has surged 16 places to 25th. Over two Tests, he has taken 19 wickets, earning him the Player of the Series award.
Other Key Test Rankings Movements
- Kemar Roach (West Indies) moves up one place to 18th
- Gudakesh Motie (West Indies) rises six places to 58th
- Sajid Khan (Pakistan) climbs two places to 21st
- Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan) advances two places to 50th
In the batting rankings, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite moved up eight places to 44th after scoring a vital half-century in the 120-run victory over Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan has edged closer to the top 10, moving up from 17th to 15th position.
With key matches ahead, the rankings are set for further shake-ups as players aim to solidify their positions at the top.
