Xtratime Web Desk: India’s talented wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved up to the second spot in the latest ICC T20 International rankings. Team India also managed to maintain the second spot despite losing the T20I series 1-2 against New Zealand.
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Kuldeep picked two wickets in the final T20I but team India lost the decider game.
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 is no other Indian bowler in the top-10. Kuldeep’s spin bowling partner Yuzvendra Chahal after an indifferent series against New Zealand, dropped six places to be 17th while Bhuvneshwar Kumar maintained his 18th 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 10th place. Rohit’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan has gained a place to be 11th while Virat Kohli’s absence from the series affected his ranking. The Indian skipper dropped four places to be jointly 19th 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 58th.
For New Zealand, Kane Williamson (up one place to 12th), Ross Taylor (up seven places to 51st) and Tim Seifert (up 87 places to a career-best 83rd) among batsmen and Tim Southee (up seven places to 30th) among bowlers are some notable gainers.
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