A positive shuffle for India in the ICC rankings following the India vs England T20I series

India claimed a commendable start to the year as the England Tour of India began with the five-match T20I series. Outperforming the visitors in almost every department, the Men in Blue clinched the series with a 4-1 scoreline. The series outcome paints a clear picture of the absolute domination of the hosts. However, those who followed every match of the series know that some players emerged as the heroes of India's superior performance against England. In the batting department, the fans were treated to a fitting display of the T20I style of play as opener Abhishek Sharma broke multiple records with his aggressive approach. In the bowling department, Varun Chakravarthy trapped the English in such a tricky spin web that they saw no redemption across the five matches in the clash.

Abhishek Sharma jumps 38 spots to rank second in the ICC T20I rankings

The India vs England series started with Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy starring in their respective roles in the team. Chakravarthy scalped three wickets in the opening fixture in Kolkata, with Arshdeep playing the perfect ally from the pace department. Chakravarthy set the tone for the entire series when he stunned Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, and Liam Livingstone in the first T20I. Brook, who was bowled for 17 off 14 in Kolkata, cited "smog" as a hindrance to his sight in the game. However, in the next fixture in Chennai, nothing came to his rescue when Chakravarthy knocked over his stumps with Brook at just 13.

At the end of the five matches, Varun Chakravarthy emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 14 wickets. His spin mastery also earned him the "Player of the Series" accolade. Moreover, the spinner earned his maiden call-up in the 50-over format as India extended a late invitation to him for the India vs England ODI series. Now, the spinner has jumped three places in the ICC T20I bowlers' rankings to claim the second position in the standings. Additionally, Ravi Bishnoi jumped four places to settle in the sixth spot, and Arshdeep climbed to the ninth position.

Abhishek Sharma, who took Wankhede by storm in the final India vs England fixture, showcased an unreal rise in the batting rankings. Sharma shattered multiple records with his knock, where he tested Wankhede's boundaries. The young opener hit 13 sixes, the most by any Indian player in a T20I innings, as he scored 135 runs off just 54 deliveries. His score is now the highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is. The blitzkrieg has resulted in Abhishek jumping 38 spots to claim the second spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings. While Abhishek Sharma climbed multiple spots, Tilak Varma fell to third place, and India's skipper Suryakumar Yadav dropped to the fifth spot. Meanwhile, Australia's Travis Head still leads the ICC rankings with a 26-point surplus over Abhishek Sharma.