Renowned Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has once again secured the top spot in the ICC T20I rankings following India's successful four-match series against South Africa. The 31-year-old, previously ranked third, has now surpassed England's Liam Livingstone and Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee to reclaim his position at the pinnacle of T20I all-rounders.
Pandya's crucial innings of 39 not out in the second game of the series played a pivotal role in stabilizing India's performance, while his impressive bowling figures of 1/8 from three overs in the decisive fourth match contributed significantly to India's 3-1 series victory. This marks the second time Pandya has achieved the No.1 ranking for T20I all-rounders, having first attained this accolade at the conclusion of the ICC men's T20 World Cup earlier this year.
In addition to Pandya's stellar performance, young talent Tilak Varma's exceptional display in the series against South Africa has propelled him 69 places up the rankings, now securing a career-best third position in the T20I series. Varma's outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Series award for his remarkable contributions during the bilateral competition.
Varma's rise to third place overall places him just behind top-ranked T20I batter Travis Head and England's Phil Salt, making him the highest-rated batter from India. Meanwhile, India's captain Suryakumar Yadav has slipped to fourth place, with teammate Sanju Samson climbing 17 spots to 22nd in the T20I batters' rankings after his impressive performances against South Africa.
Among the notable changes in the updated T20I bowlers' rankings, Australian duo Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis have made significant strides, while India's Arshdeep Singh has gained three places to reach ninth position, achieving a new career-high rating following his standout performances against South Africa.
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