Dubai, July 1 (IANS) India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has replaced teammate Abhishek Sharma as the world’s No.1 T20I batter in the latest ICC Player Rankings, ending the latter’s nearly year-long reign at the top after his prolific run in the shortest format. In another major change, Australia’s Travis Head climbed to the No.1 spot among Test batters for the first time in his career.

Kishan attained a new career-best rating to move ahead of Abhishek after the latest ICC rankings update released on Wednesday, following India’s 2-0 T20I series defeat to Ireland in Belfast.

The left-handed batter’s rise to the summit has been fuelled by his outstanding performances at the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year, where he amassed 317 runs at a strike rate of almost 200. His campaign included a Player of the Match-winning knock against Pakistan in Colombo.

Abhishek, who had occupied the No.1 spot for almost 12 months, now trails Kishan by just seven rating points. Kishan also joins an elite list featuring Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav as only the fourth Indian men’s batter to achieve the No.1 ranking in T20I cricket.

Among other movers in the T20I batting rankings, Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker jumped four places to equal 77th, while Ross Adair climbed six spots to 84th after impressive performances against India.

Ireland seamer Matthew Humphreys moved up one place to 25th in the T20I bowling rankings after claiming four wickets in the series, earning a career-best rating. In the T20I all-rounders’ rankings, India’s Shivam Dube rose three places to seventh, while Ireland’s Gareth Delany and Harry Tector climbed to 24th and 38th respectively.

There were significant changes in the ICC Test rankings as well, with Australia’s Travis Head becoming the world’s No.1 Test batter for the first time in his career.

Head replaced England’s Harry Brook at the top after Brook and Joe Root endured modest returns in the Nottingham Test against New Zealand. Brook slipped to second while Root dropped two places to third

India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also regained sole possession of the No.1 ranking among Test bowlers after New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry slipped to second.

New Zealand’s victory over England at Trent Bridge also resulted in major gains for several of their batters. Rachin Ravindra climbed two places to seventh, Daryl Mitchell advanced five spots to 11th, Devon Conway surged 14 places to equal 15th, and Tom Latham rose 12 places to equal 31st in the Test batting rankings.

New Zealand pacer Nathan Smith improved eight places to 38th in the Test bowling rankings, while England captain Ben Stokes moved up two places to finish his international career at No.3 among Test all-rounders following his mid-match retirement.

West Indies fast bowlers Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach were also rewarded for their performances in the victory over Sri Lanka in Antigua. Joseph climbed nine places to equal 14th in the Test bowling rankings, while Roach rose four spots to 17th.

–IANS

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