Key facts
- Ishan Kishan retains No. 1 spot in ICC T20I batting rankings
- Abhishek Sharma retains No. 2 in ICC T20I batting rankings
- Rankings unchanged despite India's record loss to England
- India holds top two T20I batting rankings simultaneously
There is at least one bright spot amid India's troubled T20I tour of the United Kingdom: Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma have retained their positions at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the ICC T20I batting rankings, even as the team around them has struggled badly against England.
The rankings, updated following the latest matches, reflect the sustained excellence both batters have shown in the format over recent months. Kishan's retention of the top spot is particularly notable — the wicketkeeper-batter has been among the most destructive T20 openers in world cricket, and the ranking validates his consistency at the international level. Abhishek Sharma, his opening partner, sits just behind at No. 2, a testament to the Gujarat batter's rapid rise.
The irony is hard to miss. Two of the world's top-ranked T20 batters are in India's squad for a series in which the team has just suffered a record loss. Questions will inevitably be asked about where the batting has broken down, and whether the middle order has been left too exposed.
For the ICC rankings table, though, the news is unambiguous: India holds the top two positions in T20I batting, a distinction no other nation can currently claim. Whether that translates into team results in the remaining matches of the series will be the critical test.