Marco Jansen has become the No. 1 ranked Test bowler and Test all-rounder, while Abhishek Sharma has reclaimed the top spot among T20I batters in a big week of changes to the ICC Men’s Player Rankings.
Jansen earns top billing in two categories for the first time in his career after a standout performance for the Proteas in their comprehensive victory over Australia in the second ICC World Test Championship contest in Gqeberha. The left-armer contributed 85 runs with the bat and produced a match-turning five-wicket haul during the visitors’ first innings.
Jansen Climbs to the Top
Jansen made ground in all three ranking disciplines. The 26-year-old gained 13 spots to move to 56th among Test batters. He moved up five places to overtake Mitchell Starc as the No. 1 bowler in Test cricket, and he jumped one rung to end the reign of India’s Ravindra Jadeja as the top-ranked Test all-rounder.
Jadeja had held that position for more than four years. Jansen’s rise comes shortly after former South Africa great Dale Steyn called him “the best cricketer in the world.”
Abhishek Regains the T20I Summit
Abhishek’s return to the top was arguably more expected. The India left-hander reclaimed the No. 1 spot among T20I batters following his quickfire century against New Zealand in Wellington on Tuesday, the third game of the series. He reached three figures in just 35 balls and finished with 113 from 38 deliveries as India cruised to a six-wicket triumph that clinched the series.
The innings allowed Abhishek to displace teammate Ishan Kishan, who had taken the premier position from him in July this year after some strong efforts in Ireland. Abhishek first ascended to the No. 1 spot in July 2025, when he overtook Australia’s Travis Head.
Other Big Movers in Test Cricket
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma also made significant gains, jumping four spots to second overall among Test batters. His Player of the Match performance against Australia in the second Test followed a sensational 179 in the first innings, which levelled the three-match series at 1-1. England captain Harry Brook is now the only player ahead of him in the Test batting rankings.
Australia pacer Scott Boland climbed three rungs to sixth among Test bowlers. South Africa spinner Simon Harmer rose 15 spots to eighth among Test all-rounders, a list still headed by his teammate Jansen.
T20I and ODI Updates
Abhishek was not the only player to ascend in the T20I rankings. Teammate Sanju Samson rose six spots to 20th, and New Zealand power hitter Finn Allen climbed three rungs to 25th among T20I batters. Mitchell Santner moved up seven slots to seventh, and Arshdeep Singh gained six places to 15th, making them among the biggest movers among T20I bowlers.
The ODI rankings also changed as the tri-series between hosts Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka continues. Ben Duckett and Brook were among the improvers among ODI batters. In the bowling rankings, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi rose two spots to sixth, Afghanistan seamer Azmatullah Omarzai jumped 13 places to seventh, and Namibia spinner Bernard Scholtz climbed nine slots to eighth. Veteran Mohammad Nabi moved up five spots to third among ODI all-rounders.