 "Varun Chakaravarthy becomes world No. 1 in ICC T20I bowling charts")
Varun Chakaravarthy has stormed to the top of the ICC Men’s T20I Bowling Rankings, becoming only the third Indian to achieve the feat. The 34-year-old spinner climbed three places following miserly spells in India’s opening Asia Cup matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Chakaravarthy’s one for four in two overs against the UAE and one for 24 in four overs against Pakistan sealed his ascent, pushing him past New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy, who had held the No. 1 spot since March. He now joins fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi as Indians who have reached the summit of the T20I bowling charts.
Why this matters
The feat marks a defining moment in Chakaravarthy’s career. Having once peaked at second position in February 2025, he now occupies the pinnacle at an age when most bowlers begin winding down. His accuracy and composure in pressure situations have made him India’s go-to weapon in the middle overs. For Indian cricket, this adds another jewel to a bowling unit already considered among the world’s most versatile.
Numbers and movement in rankings
Chakaravarthy’s consistency came at the expense of Duffy, who slid down after months at the top. The latest update saw several others rise. Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara leapt six spots to sixth, while Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed climbed to 11th and 16th, respectively. India’s Axar Patel (12th) and Kuldeep Yadav (23rd) also gained, with Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmed breaking into the top 25.
Among pacers, Bumrah advanced to 40th, Bangladesh’s Tanzim Hasan to 42nd, England’s Jofra Archer to 13th and South Africa’s Marco Jansen to 38th, reflecting the growing influence of seamers in the Asia Cup.
Batting charts also shaken up
India’s left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma continued his dominance with brisk knocks of 30 (16) and 31 (13) in the Asia Cup, taking his tally to 884 points and consolidating his No. 1 rank among batters.
England’s Phil Salt and Jos Buttler followed closely at second and third after explosive knocks against South Africa. Salt’s unbeaten 141 off 60 balls—the fastest T20I hundred by an England batter—revived his push for the top spot, while Buttler’s 83 off 30 gave him a career-best 794 points.
The reshuffle extended to Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka (6th), South Africa’s Dewald Brevis (11th), Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz (19th), UAE’s Mohammad Waseem (20th), and India’s Shubman Gill (39th), among others.
The big picture
Chakaravarthy’s ascent underscores India’s deep bench strength in limited-overs cricket. With Abhishek Sharma leading the batting charts and Chakaravarthy now spearheading the bowling rankings, India holds dual top spots in T20I cricket. The feat not only boosts confidence ahead of the Asia Cup’s crucial stages but also signals a broader power shift, where Asia’s spinners and batters are increasingly defining the global narrative of T20 cricket.