ICC Rankings: Marco Jansen Tops Test Bowlers and All-Rounders, Abhishek Sharma Returns to T20I No. 1

The latest ICC rankings roundup features two major shakeups at the top: Marco Jansen has become the world’s No. 1 Test bowler and has also been crowned the top-ranked Test all-rounder, ending Ravindra Jadeja’s four-year reign in the all-rounder table, while Abhishek Sharma has regained the No. 1 spot among T20I batters after a record-breaking performance in India’s third T20I against New Zealand in Wellington.

What changed in the latest ICC rankings?

The most recent ICC rankings saw the top positions in two categories change hands almost simultaneously. South Africa’s Marco Jansen climbed to No. 1 in both the Test bowling rankings and the Test all-rounder rankings, while India’s Abhishek Sharma overtook the previous leader to return to No. 1 in the T20I batting rankings. South Asian fan sites and international outlets, including Cricinfo and The Statesman, reported both moves together, underlining how rare a double top-spot shuffle of this kind is.

Who is Marco Jansen and how did he reach No. 1 in the ICC rankings?

Marco Jansen, the South African left-arm pacer, has been crowned the world’s top-ranked Test bowler and simultaneously the No. 1 Test all-rounder, according to reports from The Assam Tribune and India Today. The headlines do not specify the exact number of points Jansen scored or the matches that triggered the promotion, so those details remain unconfirmed here. What is clear from the coverage is that his rise was powerful enough to displace a player who had held the all-rounder top ranking for four straight years.

Why does Jansen topping both the bowling and all-rounder tables matter?

Reaching No. 1 in one Test discipline is a career landmark; reaching the summit of two tables at once is considerably rarer. In Jansen’s case, topping both the ICC Test bowling rankings and the ICC Test all-rounder rankings means his overall contribution — wicket-taking plus batting and fielding value as measured by the ranking formula — was judged the best among active players. The reports did not disclose whether he leads both tables by a wide margin or narrowly, so the exact gap over the players ranked second is not available here.

How did Abhishek Sharma regain the T20I batting No. 1 ranking?

Abhishek Sharma regained the world No. 1 ICC ranking for T20I batters after a record-breaking show in the third T20I against New Zealand, as reported by India.com. The same reports highlight that the performance included a century in Wellington, which The Statesman credited as the catalyst that “stormed” Sharma back to the top of the rankings. The earlier holder of the T20I batting crown is not named in these headlines — only the previous context that Sharma is “taking back” the crown implies he had held it before. Exact ratings points for either batsman were not published in the available headlines, so no figures are quoted here.

Was Ishan Kishan’s ranking affected too?

One headline from India.com runs: “Abhishek Sharma regains world No 1 ICC ranking after record-breaking show in 3rd T20I vs NZ but Ishan Kishan” — and stops there. Because the sentence is truncated in the available source, no outcome for Ishan Kishan’s ranking can be stated with confidence. What can be said is that he was mentioned in connection with the latest T20I ranking movement, suggesting his own position in the ICC T20I batting table may also have shifted; readers should consult the full ICC ratings list for the precise details.

How long had Ravindra Jadeja held the Test all-rounder No. 1 ranking?

Ravindra Jadeja’s reign as the ICC’s best Test all-rounder lasted four years before Marco Jansen’s promotion ended it, according to India Today. That duration of dominance underscores how significant the change is: the Indian all-rounder had been the benchmark in the category since roughly 2021, by simple arithmetic on the four-year span the reports cite. The headlines do not say whether Jadeja slips to No. 2 or drops further to a lower position, so his exact new slot is not stated here.

How do the ICC rankings work as background context?

For readers new to the format, the ICC rankings are a rolling merit system the International Cricket Council maintains for batters, bowlers, and all-rounders across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Players gain or lose rating points after every international match, with stronger opposition and higher-pressure situations worth more — a player’s rating reflects recent performances rather than career achievements alone. Because the points are updated after each series, No. 1 rankings can change quickly, which explains how one match — like Sharma’s Wellington century — can trigger the kind of movement seen this week.

What do these two promotions signal for the season ahead?

It is not possible to forecast ranking outcomes from the headlines alone, and no forward-looking claims should be attached to the reports. What the coverage does show is that two major shifts happened at once in the ICC rankings across formats: a long-serving Indian all-rounder has been displaced at Test level, and an Indian batter has re-taken the T20I summit with a single standout performance. Both moves set up an obvious next question for the next rating update: whether Jansen and Sharma can hold their new positions, and whether Jadeja and the previous T20I leader fight their way back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is currently No. 1 in the ICC Test bowling rankings?

Marco Jansen is the world's top-ranked Test bowler in the latest ICC rankings, according to The Assam Tribune and The Statesman. The headlines do not give his exact rating points or the margin over the player ranked second.

Who replaced Ravindra Jadeja as ICC Test all-rounder No. 1?

Marco Jansen replaced Ravindra Jadeja as the No. 1 ranked Test all-rounder, ending Jadeja's four-year reign in the category, as reported by India Today. Jadeja's exact new position in the table was not given in the headlines.

Why did Abhishek Sharma return to No. 1 in the ICC T20I batting rankings?

Abhishek Sharma regained the world No. 1 ICC T20I batting ranking after a record-breaking performance in the third T20I against New Zealand, which included a century in Wellington, reported by India.com and The Statesman.

How do the ICC rankings change so quickly after one match?

ICC rankings are a rolling system in which players gain or lose rating points after every international match, with stronger opposition worth more. A standout innings, like Sharma's Wellington century, can therefore trigger a major movement up the table.

Did Ishan Kishan's ICC T20I ranking change?

Possibly, but it cannot be confirmed from the available headlines. One India.com headline mentioning Ishan Kishan is truncated before revealing any outcome, so readers should check the full ICC ratings list for his current position.