Shreyas Iyer has given India one more reason to smile before the fourth T20I against the West Indies in Hyderabad tonight. The India T20I captain climbed three places to a career-best fourth spot in the ICC T20I batters’ rankings released on Wednesday, carrying 798 rating points. The rise caps a week in which Iyer finally married his long red-ball reputation with white-ball destruction.
The 43-ball century in Lucknow on October 6 did the heavy lifting. Chasing 172, Iyer stayed unbeaten on 102, the first T20I hundred of his career, and India got home in just 14.4 overs. He is now part of an elite Indian club: only the third India captain to score a T20I century after Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, and the only one of the three to register it in a chase.
Three Indians in the top five
Iyer’s jump means India now have three batters in the top five of the ICC T20I batting chart. Ishan Kishan continues to lead the world at No. 1 with 904 points, Abhishek Sharma sits second on 891, and Pakistan’s newly appointed T20I skipper Sahibzada Farhan takes third on 883. England’s Harry Brook is just below Iyer in fifth with 793.
Take it a step further and India’s dominance is even more striking: four Indians sit in the top ten. Vice-captain Tilak Varma rose one place to ninth with 731 points, making India the only nation with four batters in the top ten of the T20I batting rankings.
A series that changed the chart
The numbers behind Iyer’s surge tell the story of three very different innings. After the Lucknow fireworks, he smashed 40 off just 18 balls in the second T20I, a game the West Indies famously stole by chasing down 250 with Shai Hope hammering an unbeaten 102 off 45. In the third T20I in Indore, Iyer managed only a single before India held on to win by 14 runs and take a 2-1 series lead.
Still, 143 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 226.98 and an average of 71.50 were enough for the rating math to push him past Brook. The century alone moved him into territory few Indian captains have touched.
- Ishan Kishan (No. 1, 904): holds the top spot, India’s most consistent T20I batter this cycle.
- Abhishek Sharma (No. 2, 891): stayed second after a 69 in the Indore win.
- Sahibzada Farhan (No. 3, 883): career-best rating after a strong series against Sri Lanka.
- Shreyas Iyer (No. 4, 798): the big mover this week, up three places.
- Harry Brook (No. 5, 793): slipped below Iyer despite leading England.
Other movers in the latest update
Iyer was not the only gainer. Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis rose three places to 23rd, while West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford jumped 13 slots to joint 24th after the Windies’ explosive batting in the series. India’s Sanju Samson climbed four places to joint 27th, helped by his 82 off 41 in the second T20I. Pakistan youngster Maaz Sadaqat made the most dramatic leap, going from outside the top 100 to 45th after his performances against Sri Lanka.
On the bowling side, West Indies’ Roston Chase moved up 24 places to 23rd among bowlers and two spots to third among all-rounders following his strong showing against India. Pakistan’s Salman Mirza and Saim Ayub also moved up to 14th and 54th in the bowling charts.
What it means for tonight
The timing could not be better for India. A win over the West Indies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad tonight seals the series 3-1, and Iyer walks in with the ranking boost and a captain’s knock already banked this month. His opposite number Shai Hope, who stunned India with that 45-ball hundred, will want one more statement.
For Iyer personally, the bigger test is ahead: turning a career-best ranking into sustained form across the season. On current evidence, few would bet against him.
FAQs
What is Shreyas Iyer’s current ICC T20I batting ranking?
Shreyas Iyer is ranked fourth in the ICC T20I batters’ rankings with 798 rating points, a career-best position.
How many Indian batters are in the ICC T20I top ten?
Four: Ishan Kishan (1st), Abhishek Sharma (2nd), Shreyas Iyer (4th) and Tilak Varma (9th), the most for any nation.
When did Shreyas Iyer score his maiden T20I century?
He scored an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls against the West Indies in Lucknow on October 6, 2026, in the series opener.
Who is the No. 1 T20I batter in the ICC rankings?
India’s Ishan Kishan tops the ICC T20I batting rankings with 904 rating points.
What is the current score in the India vs West Indies T20I series?
India lead the five-match series 2-1, with the fourth T20I scheduled in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening.
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