In a massive day for regional cricket pride, two players originating from Bihar have stamped their authority on the global stage. For the first time in history, two cricketers with Bihar roots are featuring prominently in the ICC Men's T20I Batting Rankings, released on Wednesday.
While senior wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has successfully reclaimed the No. 1 position, his young state-mate, 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, has made a jaw-dropping 230-spot leap to break into the top 50.
It was a day of multiple celebrations for Indian cricket fans, as the weekly rankings update also saw Shubman Gill return to the absolute top of the ODI batting charts.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Remarkable Leap
Hailing from Bihar's Samastipur, teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's
sudden rise in international cricket has now been officially recognized in the global rankings. Following a spectacular debut series against Zimbabwe in Harare, where India secured a comprehensive 3-0 sweep, the youngster climbed an incredible 230 places.
Sooryavanshi recently collected his maiden Player of the Series award after amassing 151 runs at a stellar average of 50.33. His fearless stroke play at the top of the order earned him 536 rating points, propelling him to a career-best 48th position. For a 15-year-old to enter the top 50 in his very first international assignment highlights the magnitude of his talent and marks a proud moment for his home state.
Ishan Kishan Dominates the Top, Achieves Historic Rating
At the absolute pinnacle of the T20I batting rankings sits another prominent Bihar export, Indian opener Ishan Kishan. Following a magnificent, match-winning knock of 81 in the second T20I against Zimbabwe, the aggressive left-hander achieved a staggering career-high rating of 916 points.
Although his rating slightly adjusted to 910 points by the end of the series, Kishan remains comfortably at the No. 1 spot, well ahead of Pakistan's second-placed Sahibzada Farhan (848 points).
Kishan's peak rating of 916 places him in an elite, historic club. It currently stands as the third-highest T20I batting rating of all time, sitting just behind his Indian teammate Abhishek Sharma (931 points) and England's Dawid Malan (919 points). Notably, Kishan has now surpassed the highest career ratings of modern Indian greats like Suryakumar Yadav (912 points) and Virat Kohli (909 points).
Shubman Gill Reclaims ODI Crown and Other Global Movers Up The Rankings
The good news for India extended to the 50-over format. Star opener Shubman Gill moved back to the No. 1 position in the ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings, a shift facilitated by the absence of New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell during the Black Caps' recent series against the West Indies.
