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In the latest ICC T20I rankings, India's Abhishek Sharma sits at the top of batting chart. His consistent performances have helped him maintain the No. 1 position with a strong rating.

The second-ranked batsman trails him by 59 points, highlighting the gap in performance.

The top five list features two Indian batsmen, one Pakistani player, and two English stars. Here’s the current ranking:

Abhishek Sharma (India) - 908

Phil Salt (England) - 849

Tilak Varma (India) - 805

Jos Buttler (England) - 770

Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan) - 763

India also leads in bowling, with spinner Varun Chakravarthy at the top of the list with a rating of 804. He is the only Indian bowler in the top five.

Varun Chakravarthy (India) - 804

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) - 710

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) - 702

Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) - 699

Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan) - 691

In the all-rounder category, India has just one representative in the top five: Hardik Pandya, who ranks fourth.

The top five all-rounders are:

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) - 289

Sam Ayub (Pakistan) - 277

Roston Chase (West Indies) - 247

Hardik Pandya (India) - 231

Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan) - 218

Abhishek's masterclass in 1st T20I

In the opening T20I of the series in Nagpur, Abhishek Sharma delivered a masterclass in aggressive opening that effectively batted New Zealand out of the game.

Despite losing early wickets, the left-hander unleashed a breathtaking 84 off just 35 deliveries, striking at a massive 240.00. His knock was punctuated by eight towering sixes, allowing India to maintain a scoring rate of over 11 runs per over even during the middle phases.

This fearless approach was the cornerstone of India’s record-breaking total of 238/7, their highest-ever T20I score against the Black Caps.

By dismantling the Kiwi spinners and reaching his fifty in just 22 balls - the fastest by an Indian against New - Abhishek created a psychological advantage that the visitors never recovered from. His ability to dominate the Powerplay ensured that even a spirited 78 from Glenn Phillips wasn't enough, as India secured a 48-run win to take a 1-0 lead.