Young Indian opener Abhishek Sharma has etched his name into the record books, becoming only the third Indian batter to claim the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings. He now joins an elite club alongside Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, marking a significant milestone in his blossoming international career.

As per the latest ICC rankings released on Wednesday, Sharma surged to the top with 829 rating points, leapfrogging Australia’s Travis Head (814) and fellow Indian Tilak Varma (804). His explosive form in recent T20I series against South Africa and England has been instrumental in his meteoric rise.

In just 17 T20Is, the 24-year-old has already amassed two centuries and two half-centuries, boasting a staggering strike rate of 193.84. Though he initially gained recognition with a century against Zimbabwe last year, it was his consistent performances against top-tier teams that propelled him past Head, who hasn`t featured in T20Is since September 2024.