Varun Chakravarthy rises to No.1 as Indian players dominate ICC T20I bowling rankings
Varun Chakravarthy is currently representing India in the Asia Cup 2025. The spinner has made history by becoming only the third Indian to claim the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I Bowling Rankings, thanks to his disciplined performances in the opening matches of the tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 34-year-old climbed three places to the top after returning figures of 1/4 in two overs against the UAE and 1/24 in four overs against Pakistan. Varun Chakravarthy, With this rise, he joined the elite company of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi, the only other Indians to hold the No. 1 position. Chakravarthy’s previous career-best was second place, achieved in February 2025. He displaced New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy, who had occupied the top spot since March. Varun Chakravarthy: Other bowlers in the Asia Cup have also made significant gains. Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara surged six places to reach sixth, while Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem (up four to 11th) and Abrar Ahmed (up 11 to a career-best 16th) climbed rapidly. Among Indians, Axar Patel rose to 12th, and Kuldeep Yadav jumped 16 places to 23rd. Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmed also broke into the top 25, moving up eight spots. Pace bowlers have enjoyed progress as well: Bumrah rose four places to 40th, Bangladesh’s Tanzim Hasan advanced five to 42nd, England’s Jofra Archer moved three to 13th, and South Africa’s Marco Jansen improved by five to 38th. Varun Chakravarthy: Abhishek Sharma Holds Top Spot in ICC T20I Batting Rankings India’s left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma has strengthened his position at the summit of the ICC T20I batting rankings. His explosive innings of 30 off 16 balls against the UAE and 31 off 13 against Pakistan earned him 55 rating points, taking his total to 884. England’s opening duo, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, climbed one spot each to second and third, respectively, following their stellar performances in the second T20I against South Africa in Manchester. Varun Chakravarthy, Salt’s unbeaten 141 off 60 balls—the highest score and fastest T20I century by an England batter—brought him closer to his career-best No. 1 ranking, while Buttler’s 83 off 30 deliveries propelled him to a career-high 794 rating points, marking his first entry into the top three. Varun Chakravarthy: Other notable gains in the rankings include Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka (up one place to sixth), South Africa’s Dewald Brevis (up two to 11th), Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz (up two to 19th), UAE’s Mohammad Waseem (up two to 20th), South Africa’s Aiden Markram (up 10 to 30th), India’s Shubman Gill (up four to 39th), and Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan (up 18 to 55th). Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
When was the last time India played Pakistan in a T20I, and what was the outcome?
The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025 is set for 14th September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The encounter will be the sixth match of the tournament and promises another chapter in the storied rivalry between the two cricketing giants. T20I: Both teams enter the contest with strong momentum. Suryakumar Yadav’s India demolished the UAE by nine wickets, while Salman Agha’s Pakistan secured a dominant 93-run victory over Oman. With both Oman and UAE suffering opening defeats, the winner of this match will book a spot in the Super Four, making this battle crucial for both sides. India and Pakistan have produced countless thrilling moments in T20Is over the years. Though the contests often go down to the wire, it is India who hold the upper hand historically, boasting the majority of wins in their head-to-head meetings. When Did India Last Face Pakistan in a T20I? India and Pakistan are set to face each other again after a gap of seven months. Their most recent encounter was at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where Rohit Sharma’s side comfortably defeated Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In the T20I format, their last clash came during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. It was a thrilling contest in which India snatched a narrow six-run victory over Pakistan. Asked to bat first on a challenging pitch in New York, India managed just 119 runs. Rishabh Pant, batting at number three, top-scored with a resilient 42. T20I Contributions also came from Axar Patel (20) and Rohit Sharma (13), while the rest of the batting lineup struggled for single-digit scores. T20I: Chasing the target, Pakistan seemed in control at 73/2, with Mohammad Rizwan playing a brilliant 31. However, Jasprit Bumrah produced a game-changing spell, reducing Pakistan to 107/7 in no time. Pakistan could only reach 113/7, giving India a thrilling six-run win. Bumrah claimed three wickets, Hardik Pandya took two, and both Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel also chipped in with wickets. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
Suryakumar Yadav’s Captaincy Under Threat! Selectors and Gautam Gambhir Eye Shubman Gill as Future T20I Leader
Shubman Gill has been named India’s T20I vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025. As per a report in the Indian Express, head coach Gautam Gambhir wants to groom Gill as the future T20I captain, which led to his appointment as deputy for the tournament. Suryakumar Yadav, who turns 35 soon, will lead India in the Asia Cup. However, the selectors also discussed the need to identify his long-term successor. Gill, already the Test captain, emerged as the preferred choice. Interestingly, Gill wasn’t the initial frontrunner for the role—Axar Patel was in contention to continue as vice-captain. But decision-makers felt it was wiser to back a young player who could serve Indian cricket for years to come. T20I: Selectors Believe Now is the Right Time to Groom Shubman Gill The selectors explored other potential candidates but couldn’t find anyone else suitable to shoulder responsibility for the next five years. With Shubman Gill leading the team in Tests, there is a strong consensus that this is the perfect moment to groom him for the future. This decision has temporarily blocked the spot for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who impressed many with his batting on the England tour. T20I, The selectors will now need to fit Gill into India’s XI for the Asia Cup 2025, and it is expected that he will open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. Gill’s inclusion comes as a surprise to many, as he hasn’t played a T20I this year. His last appearance was in 2024. However, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he has been in stellar form over the past three seasons, scoring 650 runs last season and guiding his team to the playoffs. Asia Cup 2025 is set to begin on 9th September and will be hosted across two venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). T20I, India will kick off their campaign against the UAE on 10th September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
Jofra Archer sidelined from West Indies ODI series because of thumb injury.
Luke Wood has been called up to replace Jofra Archer in England’s squad. Pacer Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies due to a right thumb injury. He will receive treatment from England’s medical team. England will host the West Indies for a three-match ODI series. The first ODI is scheduled for May 29 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, followed by the second on June 1 at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The series will conclude with the third ODI at Kennington Oval, London, on June 3. After the ODIs, the West Indies will also play a three-match T20I series in England. Harry Brook, England’s new white-ball captain, will lead the team throughout both series. Luke Wood Replaces Jofra Archer in England’s ODI Squad Left-arm pacer Luke Wood has been named as Jofra Archer’s replacement in England’s ODI squad. The 29-year-old Wood has featured in two ODIs and five T20Is for England since making his international debut in September 2022. Below is the updated England squad for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies: England’s squad for West Indies ODI series:Harry Brook (C), Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer was part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). However, the right-arm pacer returned to England after the BCCI suspended the IPL for a week. Following the resumption of the tournament, Archer did not rejoin the RR camp. Jofra Archer took 11 wickets in 12 matches for RR, maintaining an economy rate of 9.47. Jofra Archer ended the season as one of RR’s joint-highest wicket-takers alongside Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. Despite his efforts, Rajasthan Royals did not qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I Stats: Captain vs. Non-Captain Performance Comparison
Suryakumar Yadav, one of the world’s most dangerous T20 batsmen, made his domestic debut in 2010 but earned his maiden India cap 11 years later. Known for his explosive style, he has become a key player in India’s T20I lineup, with impressive records and match-winning performances. Suryakumar Yadav made his T20I debut for India in 2021. Suryakumar Yadav, one of the most explosive T20 batsmen in the world, made his T20I debut for India in 2021. Despite making his domestic debut in 2010, he had to wait 11 years to earn his maiden India cap. His breakthrough in international cricket came after stellar performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Suryakumar debuted in both T20Is and ODIs in 2021, followed by a Test debut in 2023. While his ODI and Test careers did not flourish, he quickly established himself as a powerhouse in T20 cricket. Suryakumar made an immediate impact in T20Is, famously smashing Jofra Archer for a six on the very first ball he faced in international cricket. His dominance in the shortest format saw him rise to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s T20I rankings in November 2022, a position he held for a significant period. Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I record is nothing short of remarkable. In 81 matches, he has accumulated 2,596 runs, averaging 39 with a blistering strike rate of 167. His aggressive style of play has earned him four T20I centuries, the second-most in the history of the format, along with 21 fifties. This consistent performance has cemented his place as a pivotal figure in India’s batting lineup, known for his ability to turn games with his explosive strokeplay. After Rohit Sharma’s retirement from T20Is in June 2024, Suryakumar was named as India’s new T20I captain, having already stepped in as interim skipper for a few matches prior to that. His leadership was seen as the natural progression, given his experience and leadership qualities in the shorter format. Despite the honor, his personal form with the bat has faced a slight dip since assuming the captaincy. While his attacking approach remains intact, evidenced by his strike rate of 165, his batting average has dropped, with a noticeable decline from 43 to 29 since taking on the captaincy. In 19 innings as captain, Suryakumar has managed four fifties and a century. While these numbers reflect his ability to contribute significantly, they also highlight a slight dip in his consistency, which is a challenge he will likely look to address moving forward. Despite these fluctuations, he continues to be a central figure in India’s T20I setup, with his aggressive approach and leadership still crucial for the team’s success. Let’s take a closer look at his stats as captain and non-captain. Suryakumar Yadav’s stats in T20Is when not captaining: In 61 T20I matches without the captaincy, Suryakumar Yadav has amassed 2,040 runs at an impressive average of 43 and a blistering strike rate of 168. His tally includes three centuries and 17 half-centuries. Suryakumar Yadav’s stats in T20Is as captain: Despite leading the side, Suryakumar Yadav has maintained his aggressive batting approach, evident in his impressive strike rate of 165. However, his run tally has taken a hit, with his average dropping to 29 as captain—significantly lower than his 43-run average when not leading the team. In 19 innings as India’s T20I skipper, Suryakumar has registered four half-centuries and one century. Stat As Captain As Non-Captain Innings Played 19 — Runs Scored — — Batting Average 29 43 Strike Rate 165 — 50s 4 — 100s 1 — Welcome to E2Bet! Where exciting games and fun come together!
IND vs ENG: Top 5 Player Battles to Watch in 1st T20I
T20I series rarely generate as much excitement as the upcoming India vs. England clash. The five-match series features two limited-overs giants—India and England—both of whom are among the only three teams to have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice. Although England embraced an aggressive white-ball approach years ago, India have adopted a similar style in recent years, making this series even more compelling. With Eden Gardens in Kolkata now a batting paradise, as evidenced during IPL 2024, records could tumble in the opening game. 1. Sanju Samson vs Mark Wood Sanju Samson is in red-hot form, with three centuries in his last five T20I innings. He faces a tough challenge in Mark Wood, who returns to international cricket after an injury layoff. Wood’s express pace and hard lengths will test Samson, who thrives on pace and enjoys the ball coming onto the bat. Their contest in the powerplay promises fireworks. 2. Suryakumar Yadav vs Jofra Archer Suryakumar Yadav’s maiden international runs came with a stunning scoop six off Jofra Archer in 2021. As Archer returns to spearhead England’s attack, his pace and versatility with both the new and old ball will be pitted against Suryakumar’s unparalleled 360-degree stroke play. This battle could shape the outcome of the match. 3. Hardik Pandya vs Adil Rashid A fascinating middle-over duel awaits between Hardik Pandya and Adil Rashid. Pandya, known for his big hits against spinners, will look to dominate, while Rashid’s experience and guile make him a potent threat in the shortest format. This matchup could prove decisive in setting the tone for the game. 4. Arshdeep Singh vs Phil Salt Arshdeep Singh, after a stellar 2024 T20I campaign with 36 wickets in 18 matches, will lead India’s attack with the new ball. He will take on the explosive Phil Salt, who smashed 350 runs at a strike rate of 185 in IPL 2024 at Eden Gardens. Swing versus aggression – this clash in the powerplay will be pivotal. 5. Varun Chakravarthy vs Harry Brook Varun Chakravarthy, fresh off a successful comeback with 17 wickets in his last seven matches, including a five-for, will look to outsmart Harry Brook. Brook, England’s rising star, had a phenomenal 2024, averaging 54 in T20Is at a strike rate of 150. Can Varun’s mystery spin prevail against Brook’s aggressive approach? All eyes will be on this contest at Eden Gardens. Welcome to E2Bet! Play exciting games and experience endless fun!