India captain Suryakumar Yadav jumps to 7th in ICC T20I rankings after crushing New Zealand. With Abhishek Sharma at No. 1, India looks unstoppable for the 2026 World Cup.

New Delhi: The timing couldn’t have been better. As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to create a blast in India and Sri Lanka starting February 7, the defending champions are already getting their grip in order. In the latest ICC player rankings, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav has climbed five spots to reach number 7.

After an impressive 3-0 lead in the home series against New Zealand, the ‘Men in Blue’ are not just winning matches—they are taking over the top of the leaderboards. From explosive young openers to a revitalized bowling attack, India’s depth is peaking at precisely the moment it matters the most.

SKY the Captain’s Comeback

Suryakumar Yadav, former world number 1, has officially rediscovered his ‘360-degree’ explosive batting. After a relatively quiet 2025, SKY silenced the doubters with his clinical power-hitting performance against the Black Caps.

His rise to the seventh spot was fueled by three brilliant innings:

• A steady 32 runs to anchor himself.
• A powerful 82 off just 37 balls in Raipur.
• A controlled 57 off 26 balls in Guwahati.

For India, seeing their captain back in the top 10 is a huge morale boost. His ability to handle chases while maintaining the fearsome strike rate of a batsman will be the foundation for India’s defense of the home ground title.

India’s Top Order Rewrites the T20 Gameplan

The main thing people are talking about is SKY. The real story is how good India is at batting in T20I games. Abhishek Sharma is still the batsman he is really good and people thought he would be. Tilak Varma is behind him he is at number three and these two players are like a strong team at the top of the rankings they are like a “Blue Wall”, for India.

There are some important players, in the Indian team these include:

Ishan Kishan has made his way back into the rankings. He is now at number 64. This happened after he scored a good 76 in Raipur. The score of 76, by Ishan Kishan was very impressive.

Shivam Dube: Climbed nine spots to 58th

Rankings are often seen as numbers but at this moment the rankings tell a story of India having a lot of momentum. India has Suryakumar Yadav back in form. That is a big deal. Abhishek Sharma is doing well he is actually leading the world. The bowling unit of India is also doing great it is led by Jasprit Bumrah who is getting better and better and Yuzvendra Chahal is not part of it instead it is Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi who are leading the bowling unit.

So India looks like a team that does not have any weaknesses India has Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, the bowling unit, with Bumrah and Bishnoi. That makes India a strong team.

As the countdown to February 7 begins, the message to the rest of the world is clear: The defending champions aren’t just ready—they’re thriving.

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Rinku Singh: The finisher leaped 13 places to 68th.

Rankings are often seen as numbers but at this moment the rankings tell a story of India having a lot of momentum. India has Suryakumar Yadav back in form. That is a big deal.

Abhishek Sharma is doing well he is actually leading the world. The bowling unit of India is also doing great it is led by Jasprit Bumrah who is getting better and better and Yuzvendra Chahal is not part of it instead it is Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi who are leading the bowling unit.

So India looks like a team that does not have any weaknesses India has Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, the bowling unit, with Bumrah and Bishnoi. That makes India a strong team.

As the countdown to February 7 begins, the message to the rest of the world is clear: The defending champions aren’t just ready—they’re thriving.

Link of Original ICC Media Release: https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/yadav-on-the-rise-in-icc-men-s-t20i-batting-rankings