ICC T20 rankings: Kuldeep Yadav jumps to 2nd spot

Dubai, February 11

Talented wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has moved up a notch to grab a career-best second position in the latest ICC T20 International rankings, where India maintained its second position behind Pakistan despite dropping two ranking points.

Kuldeep scalped two for 26 in the final T20I against New Zealand, which his side lost by four runs to go 2-1 down in the series.

The 24-year-old accounted for well-set openers Tim Seifert and Colin Munro in the only match he played during the series and reaped immediate dividends. He is now second only to Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan in the table.

There are no other Indian bowlers in the top-10. Kuldeep’s spin bowling partner Yuzvendra Chahal after an indifferent series against New Zealand, dropped six places to be 17^th while Bhuvneshwar Kumar maintained his 18^th rank.

In the batsmen’s list, Indian vice-captain Rohit Sharma swapped three places with compatriot KL Rahul, who didn’t feature in the recently-concluded series.

The batting chart is headed by talented Pakistani batsman Babar Azam.

Rohit is seventh as per latest rankings while Rahul has slipped to 10^th place. Rohit’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan has gained a place to be 11^th while Virat Kohli’s absence from the series affected his ranking. The Indian skipper dropped four places to be jointly 19^th with Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza.

Left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya was another spinner to move up as he advanced 39 places to a career-best 58^th.

For New Zealand, Kane Williamson (up one place to 12^th), Ross Taylor (up seven places to 51^st) and Tim Seifert (up 87 places to a career-best 83^rd) among batsmen and Tim Southee (up seven places to 30^th) among bowlers are some notable gainers. PTI