KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah have been the highest gainers from the recent T20I series against New Zealand. The cricketers have proved their mettle on the field, reaping again in the ICC rankings as a reward. KL Rahul and Bumrah were instrumental in making India eke out a 5-0 win over the Kiwis. As a result, their places have been bumped in the ICC T20I rankings.
Rahul was relentless on the crease as well as behind the stumps with his dual role as batsman and wicket-keeper. He hit two half-centuries, totaling a series average of 56, bringing his half-century tally to 224. He proved his mettle as an opening batsman for team India, smashing the ball over the boundary and getting a strike rate of 144.51. This recent series saw him at his near-best, with 140 runs to his name and a strike-rate of 46.66.
KL Rahul has never been seen as an opening batsman for team India, with the spot preferably going to Shikhar Dhawan. Rahul proved critics wrong with his recent success, reaching number 2 on the T20I rankings, second only to Pakistan’s Babar Azam.
Jasprit Bumrah’s rise in the T20I ranking should come as no surprise. The seamer’s six-wicket show with an economy rate of under 6.5 plummeted India to victory in the last three matches. The series also marked Bumrah’s accession to 26 places, and he joined West Indies bowler Sheldon Cottrell at number 11.
Rohit Sharma broke into the top 10 with his phenomenal performance throughout the series against New Zealand. He smashed two fifties in four innings, earning him a well-deserved spot in the Top 10. He ranks number 10, just behind Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who remains stagnant at the number 9 spot after a decent series.
Shreyas Iyer rose prolifically through the ranks, settling at number 55 from 118 after smashing a match-winning half-century. New Zeland Skipper Kane Williamson rose seven places to number 16 as a result of scoring 160 runs in the first three matches. Unfortunately, he could not play the remaining matches due to an injury.