Virat Kohli at career-best fifth in the Reliance ICC T20I batting rankings

India’s Virat Kohli has jumped five places to a career-best fifth in the latest Reliance ICC T20I Player Rankings for batsmen.

The latest rankings were released on Saturday at the end of India’s T20I series against England and Pakistan, as well as South Africa’s three-match series against New Zealand.

While India levelled the two-match series against both England and Pakistan, South Africa won the three-match series against New Zealand by a margin of 2-1.

Kohli scored a total of 95 runs against England and Pakistan in the four matches thereby achieving his career-best ratings of 731.

The batting table continues to be headed by Shane Watson, followed by Brendon McCullum in second place and Chris Gayle in third.

Also moving up in the batting table is Yuvraj Singh, who has jumped six places to 13^th, following his 124 runs against England and Pakistan. Yuvraj, who was also named Player of the Series against England, has moved up a place in the latest bowling rankings to 35^th. The combined batting and bowling efforts has helped Yuvraj achieve career-best 337 ratings points in the all-rounders’ table, where he is placed third.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez who scored 116 runs against India in the two matches at a strike rate of 165.71, has moved up a place to 19^th in the latest batting table with a best-ever ratings of 594. Second-placed Hafeez also achieved his career-best ratings of 377 as an all-rounder in the series against India.

South Africa’s Henry Davids who ended as the highest run-getter in the series against New Zealand with 143 runs at a strike rate of 140.19, was rewarded with a jump of 29 places to 29^th with best-ever 505 ratings points.

The others to make upward movement include Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 25^th (up by three), Luke Wright in 30^th (up by two), Nasir Jamshed in 39^th (up by 11), David Miller in 73^rd (up by 10) and Ajinkya Rahane in 74^th (up by five).

The bowlers’ table is still headed by Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, followed by Ajantha Mendis in second place and Graeme Swann in third.

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has moved up two places to 16^th with career-best ratings of 618 achieved against Pakistan at Ahmedabad in the second match.

The others to rise include Umar Gul in 25^th (up by two), Robin Peterson in 31^st (up by one), both Ryan McLaren (up by 25) and Ashoke Dinda (up by 10) in 55^th, Doug Bracewell in 69^th(up by eight), James Franklin in 77^th (up by four) and Ishant Sharma in 89^th (up by 12).

The all-rounders’ table continues to be headed by Shane Watson.

India loses, New Zealand gains

India, who began the series against England and Pakistan at third place with 120 ratings points, had the opportunity to become the number-one ranked team on the Reliance ICC T20I Championship Table if it won all the four games.

But India’s 1-1 series results against both England and Pakistan, meant that it retained its third place but for the loss of one ratings point to end at 119.

Meanwhile, England (fourth), South Africa (fifth) and Pakistan (sixth) retained its pre-series rankings on the table without any loss of ratings points.

New Zealand on the other hand gained one ratings point but continued to be eighth with 98 ratings points.

Rank	Team	Rating
1	Sri Lanka	127
2	West Indies	122
3	India	119
4	England	118
5	South Africa	117
6	Pakistan	116
7	Australia	108
8	New Zealand	98
9	Bangladesh	84
10	Ireland	82
11	Zimbabwe	44