Varun Chakravarthy takes top spot in men’s T20I bowling rankings
The most prestigious title in short-form cricket suddenly goes not to the fast and formidable bowler who delivers the ball with such force, but to a master of mystery and deception. The enigmatic spinner becomes the king. Sounds unexpected, right? That’s exactly what happened this week, as Varun Chakravarthy takes top spot in men’s T20I bowling rankings.
How Varun Chakravarthy takes top spot in men’s T20I bowling rankings
This guy is already 34 years old and he is not looking for easy ways. His weapon is not a rough delivery, but the cunning of the ball’s flight and his ability to spin it in a way that leave even the best batsmen dizzy. And now, after just two Asia Cup matches, he has officially become the ICC’s best bowler in the world in T20I format. Just think about it. The best in the world.
How did he achieve this? It’s all about the magic he showed in the games against the UAE and Pakistan. First, he literally shackled the UAE batsman, giving away just 4 runs and taking one important wicket. Then came the tense duel with Pakistan, where he again proved incredibly economical, giving away 24 runs and taking another wicket. In a format where every run counts, such economy is simply golden. This is why Varun Chakravarthy takes top spot in men’s T20I bowling rankings.
And you know what’s most interesting? He’s only the third Indian to have climbed this summit. Before him, only giants like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bisnoi had achieved it. The company, you must agree, is more than worthy.
Of course, some might say that rankings are a fickle thing. And they will be right in their own way. Last week, Jacob Duffy of New Zealand was number one, having held on tightly to the top spot since March. But sport, especially cricket, is unpredictable. This week you’re at the top, and the next, you’re gone. This is both its charm and its difficulty.
The spinner revolution and the power of batters: what’s happening in the rankings
But the story doesn’t end there. It seems like the entire Asia Cup has been a real celebration for spin bowlers. Look how other masters have jumped up the rankings. Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara has moved up six places. Pakistan’s Sufiyan Mukim and India’s Axar Patel are also steadily moving up. It feels like we’re witnessing a small revolution, where the cunning and masters of deception are slowly taking power away from the pure speedsters.
And where would we be without batsmen! While the bowlers are figuring out who is the main player, Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has only cemented his position as the world’s best batsman. His strikes against the UAE and Pakistan was simply fiery!
England wasn’t left out either. Their openers, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, staged a real bombardment in the match against South Africa, and this allowed them to rise to second and third places in the rankings, respectively. This is Butler’s first time in the top 3. It’s hard to imagine, but it only happened now.
So the world of cricket lives its own turbulent life. Who will be at the top in a week? No one knows. But today we can simply be happy for Varun Chakravarthy. A guy who plays his own game, full of secrets and twists, and which has brought him to the very top. The challenge has been thrown down, and now it’s interesting to see who can answer it.
