After some multiple exciting test series, teams started to confront each other in the T20I format. Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are some of the notable nations to play T20Is in the recent past. The recent Twenty20 matches have influenced the latest updates of ICC T20I batters rankings. Because of the ongoing T20I series between Australia and South Africa, some of their players got the opportunity to improve their positions in the list. While some other players, who are not related to the T20I series involving these two nations, lose their spots. But there are some exceptions too. Since February 2025, India has not participated in a single T20I match; still, Abhishek Sharma, based on his last performances, remained on top of the points table, while Tilak Varma moved to 2nd place with 804 points. Through this article we'll derive the best 5 T20I batters with the help of recent points developments. 

List of 5 batters in T20Is:

Tilak Varma:

As the International Cricket Council (ICC) promoted the young batter to 2nd place of the tally, he should be in the list. Varma, 22 years old, played 25 matches for Team India and scored 749 runs to etch a brilliant average of 49.93, the second-best average of T20Is, with a highest individual score of an unbeaten 120. And he's among the top 5 T20I batters in the world to score hundreds in consecutive matches in the format.

Phil Salt:

Like Varma, Phil Salt also played his last T20I back in February this year but moved from 4th place to the 3rd spot of the ICC T20I rankings. In his last T20I match, which was against India, the opener scored an inspiring 55 runs at Wankhede. For England, the attacking batter played 43 T20Is to score a total of 1193 runs at an average of 34.08.

Tim David:

The big man from Australia has moved forward by 6 steps and moved into the top 10 of the ICC T20I Rankings for the batters. The all-rounder, who's mostly known for his power-hitting abilities, rescued team Australia multiple times from trouble. David mostly came to bat at number 5 or lower. Being a lower-order batter, he often got a very limited number of balls to prove himself. For Australia, the 29-year-old cricketer played brilliantly against Australia and the West Indies. Against Australia, he scored 83 and 50 in Darwin. And in a match against the West Indies, the batter scored a century as well. 

Cameroon Green:

Another cricketer from Australia who has made progress in the rankings. Moving up by 6 spots, Green is currently at number 17. The 26-year-old all-rounder played a pivotal role for the Australia cricket team during the series against the West Indies and against South Africa too. At Basseterre, against WI, he scored an unbeaten 55. In 20 T20Is for the Aussies, Green scored 512 runs at an average of 34.13. 

Dewald Brevis:

From outside the top 100 to 21st, the young South African batter has gained massively. That phenomenal 125-run innings from his blade helped South Africa to square the three-match series against the Aussies at 1-1. It was the highest T20I score by any South African men's batter and the highest ever against Australia in what was Brevis' ninth T20I appearance for his country.

As the monsoon season is getting over, India’s domestic season for the 2025-26 period is starting. And it will kick off with the Duleep Trophy 2025. Hyderabad’s Tilak Verma will lead the South Zone in the opening competition, which will begin in late August. It will return to its previous format, where the competition will be contested by six zonal teams.

Unlike the last years, the South, North, East, and West zones will be back to replace the India A, B, C, and D sides, picked by the senior men’s national selection committee. Tilak Verma has got the chance to lead the side despite missing out on the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 due to his international commitments.

See Also: [WATCH] Former India star reflects on Shubman Gill and KL Rahul's partnership in ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

Kerala batter, Mohammed Azharuddeen, who had creamed some fabulous performances during the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, has been named the vice-captain. Four members of the Kerala side, which made its maiden Ranji final appearance, have been included in the squad. The tournament is always valued for high-intense games between some of the top international and domestic players.

Star MI player Tilak Verma to lead South Zone in Duleep Trophy 2025

Tamil Nadu’s wicket-keeper batter, N Jagadeesan, earned a maiden call-up to the Indian team as a replacement for Rishabh Pant for the fifth Test of the five-match series at the Kennington Oval in South London. The southpaw, who fractured his toe, reportedly, has been advised to rest for six weeks. Another international left-handed batter, Devdutt Padikkal, has also been included along with R Sai Kishore.

Karnataka’s Ravichandran Smaran is not in the squad, which is a surprising factor given that the left-handed batter smashed 516 runs in his debut season in 10 innings at an average of 64.50 with two centuries. The other squads for the tournament are expected to be revealed in the next few weeks.

South Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025

Tilak Varma (c) (Hyderabad), Mohammed Azharuddeen (vc) (Kerala), Tanmay Agarwal (Hyderabad), Devdutt Padikkal (Karnataka), Mohit Kale (Pondicherry), Salman Nizar (Kerala), Narayan Jagadeesan (Tamil Nadu), Tripurana Vijay (Andhra), R Sai Kishore (Tamil Nadu), Tanay Thyagarajan (Hyderabad), Vijaykumar Vyshak (Karnataka), Nidheesh MD (Kerala), Ricky Bhui (Andhra), Basil NP (Kerala), Gurjapneet Singh (Tamil Nadu), Snehal Kauthankar (Goa).

Tilak Varma shared a couple of videos recently, which left his Instagram followers to speculate about his future. The batting all-rounder is now in England, keeping himself busy through relentless training. In a short video, which Varma shared on his Instagram story, depicts his dedication for this game. During his off periods, the young cricketer chose to work on his skills and fitness rather than spending time loafing.

The Instagram story captured the running of Tilak Varma alone at The Ageas Bowl, West End, Southampton. 'In my world, in 'my'—the text was on the short video. In another video the cricketer shared on his social media account, he is seen doing practice in the net, polishing his batting techniques. 

After the inclusion of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), the 22-year-old took a flight to the UK and joined Hampshire, a county cricket club. He ignited his county cricket career with a bang: a hundred in his debut match for Hampshire against Essex. In their next encounter with Worcestershire, they scored 56 and 47 runs, respectively. Varma individually batted brilliantly but has yet to taste the first win with his county cricket club. 

Read More: Rishabh Pant provide massive update on his availability for ENG vs IND 4th Test

Tilak Varma has made remarkable runs in recent past

Before his stint with the English club, the emerging all-rounder was impressive with the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025. After an underwhelming run during the initial stage of the tournament, the multi-time champions made their way to the round of four but could not confirm a ticket to the final. 

Behind MI's adventures campaign, Varma left his mark deeply. In 16 matches with the team in Blue and Gold, he managed to get 343 runs in the bag with an average of 31.18, including his season's best 59. In Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025, Tilak performed with precision. Against an in-form Punjab Kings, the top-order batsman came at number 3 and scored 44 off 29, maintaining a strike rate over 150.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tilak Varma (@tilakvarma9)

The Indian team is currently on a tour of England, where a five-match Test series is being played between the two sides. At the same time, several Indian players are also taking part in county cricket, including Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma. Tilak is playing for Hampshire this season and has impressed everyone with a brilliant century in his debut match. He is playing red-ball cricket after a long time.

Left-handed Indian batter Tilak Varma scored a superb century for Hampshire in his County Championship debut against Essex at the County Ground in Chelmsford on Tuesday. He started the third day on 98 and soon reached his sixth First-Class century, taking 239 balls to get there.

Tilak has signed a contract to play four matches for Hampshire in the Rothesay County Championship, which will be played from June 22 to August 1. His first match was against Essex in Chelmsford, held from June 22 to 25.

Also Read -England or India - which team is the favorite heading into Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test?

The match began with Essex scoring 296 runs in their first innings. In reply, Hampshire had a poor start, losing two wickets for just 34 runs. Tilak Varma came in to bat at number 4 and played a calm and mature innings, helping the team recover. By the end of Day 2, Hampshire had scored 293 runs for 4 wickets, with Tilak unbeaten on 98. On Day 3, he completed his century and continued to bat well.

Tilak shared important partnerships during his innings. He had half-century stands with Fletcha Middleton (61) and Ben Brown (42), and a century partnership with Liam Dawson, who remained unbeaten on 79. Though Tilak was solid in defence, he also showed his attacking style by hitting two sixes off Matt Critchley — one over long leg and a reverse-sweep — and another six off Shane Snater.

WHAT A KNOCK BY TILAK VERMA. 🫡

He smashed a brilliant Hundred, he scored 100 runs from 241 balls for Hampshire in the County debut in England.

- A dream debut for Tilak Verma..!!! pic.twitter.com/HICLMRVJMD

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) June 24, 2025

Earlier in the match, Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott bowled brilliantly and took 5 wickets for 26 runs in 19 overs. He now leads the Championship’s wicket-taking chart with 37 wickets this season. Essex, on the other hand, had a boost with the return of Sam Cook from England duty, playing his first Championship match since early May.

Tilak Verma scored a hundred in his debut County Championship match.

After getting 34/2 while playing for Hampshire, Tilak Verma completed a hundred in 239 balls.

Good news for India 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/ZZMoTGR1ab

— Gurlabh Singh (@gurlabhsingh610) June 24, 2025

Tilak Varma has already played white-ball cricket for India, appearing in 4 ODIs and 25 T20Is. However, he has not yet made his Test debut. In IPL 2025, he played for Mumbai Indians but didn’t have a great season, scoring 343 runs in 16 matches at an average of 31.18, including two fifties.

Along with Tilak, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan also impressed in his County Championship debut. Playing for Nottinghamshire, Ishan played an attacking innings of 87 runs, hitting 12 fours and 1 six. However, he missed out on a century and was dismissed by off-spinner Dom Bess.

Both Indian players have made a strong impact in their county debuts, and fans will be eager to see how they perform in the remaining matches.

Over several generations, County Cricket has served as an ideal learning platform for youngsters and highly experienced pros to revamp their skills and core strengths in versatile playing conditions. It gives the cricketers an opportunity to learn from one another while being away from the international scene. Players, irrespective of their national identity, are put to the test and are required to adapt to different pitches and weather conditions, thus enhancing their overall cricketing experience and potentially boosting their chances of selection for national or franchise teams.

The influence of Indian cricketers in the County setup simply can't be overlooked. In the past, legendary cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid have established themselves in County Cricket long before the current generation of Indian cricketers came into existence. 

As of present times, the onus is on the younger generation of Indian cricketers to take the game forward. And quite rightfully so, a handful number of Indian cricketers have enrolled for the ongoing County Season in a bid to keep themselves battle-ready for the crunch games. Here are five known Indian cricketers who are going to feature in the County Season 2025.

See also: County Championship 2025: Live Streaming Details & Where to watch

Confirmed Signings for the 2025 County Season

Ishan Kishan (Nottinghamshire)
India's wicketkeeper-batter has signed a short-term deal with Nottinghamshire for the 2025 County Championship, stepping in while Kyle Verreynne is on international duty.  His appointment was officially announced on June 20. Kishan will endure a two-match stint for Notts and will be available for selection in their matches against Yorkshire and Somerset.

Tilak Varma (Hampshire)
The young left-hander from Hyderabad has signed a four‑match stint deal for Hampshire from June 22 to August 1. He is set to make his County debut against Essex at Chelmsford from June 22‑25. The rationale behind opting for County cricket was to develop his temperament for playing red-ball cricket.  

Ruturaj Gaikwad (Yorkshire)
Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will join Yorkshire until the end of the season, featuring in both the County Championship and One-Day Cup. He will join the squad ahead of the County Championship fixture against Surrey that is expected to take place on July 22 at Scarborough. Gaikwad's contract will stay valid throughout the 2025 season and will be expected to play five County Championship matches and the Metro Bank One-Day Cup starting in early August.

Shardul Thakur (Essex)
Indian seam-bowling all‑rounder Shardul Thakur has signed a seven‑match deal with Essex for the 2025 County Championship, marking his debut in English first‑class cricket. His appointment was confirmed on February 18, and the director of Essex Cricket expressed delight when the news of his deal broke out. Due to his involvement with the national side in the ongoing England series, Shardul's participation in the County cricket seems slightly uncertain at this stage. However, Shardul has reiterated his commitment to County Cricket in his prior discussions and seems highly determined to leave his mark behind. 

Yuzvendra Chahal (Northamptonshire)
The leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returns to play for Northamptonshire in both the County Championship and the One-Day Cup. He has joined the squad after the conclusion of the IPL and is all set to play his first fixture against Middlesex on June 22.  Chahal has been an experienced campaigner in County cricket and has impressed quite a few observers with his past performances. Last season, Chahal played four Championship matches, taking 19 wickets at an impressive average of 21.0 across games and also starred in the One-Day Cup, claiming a 5-wicket haul on debut against Kent. 

Sai Sudharsan played for Surrey in 2023–24, but following a Test call-up in the ongoing England tour, there’s no confirmation from his side for the 2025 season. Players have taken a step in the right direction by making themselves available for the Country season. While away from their international duties, these players can get used to foreign conditions and get acquainted with several accomplished players in England's domestic circuit. It serves as an opportunity for them to enhance their skill and game plan under varying conditions. 

Tilak Varma, the fledgling Indian top-order batter, has signed with Hampshire for four matches in the County Championship, marking the first step in what he hopes is a red-ball future. The 22-year-old left-handed batter from Hyderabad will represent Hampshire in the gap from June 22 through August 1, beginning with their away fixture against Essex at Chelmsford. With Hampshire looking to inject some firepower into their batting ranks, following James Vince's decision to retire from red-ball cricket, Tilak's signature is reassuring. He has made the step up, having scored five first-class hundreds that come with a very respectable average of 50.16 in the format, and as we all know, it is one thing to have the ability to play high-level red-ball matches; it is quite another to actually experience it and thrive at the level. Tilak also brings his own wealth of experience from the IPL, along with many international T20Is, which has added to the excitement around Tilak's first appearance for Hampshire.

Hampshire's director of cricket, Giles White, described Varma as “an exciting talent” with credentials at the international level. “We are delighted to have Tilak available for the next four County Championship matches," he said, evoking Varma's opportunity to showcase his prowess. Varma's signing forms part of the club's wider strategy to add to the squad after a mixed start, as the club sat seventh in Division One. International conglomerate GMR Group, which bought Hampshire last summer, wants to integrate international talent into their domestic context to improve performance and visibility.

🇮🇳 Young Indian star Tilak Varma joins Hampshire four @countychamp matches ✍️

The @mipaltan batter is set to make his Rose and Crown debut in this weekend's match against Essex 🙌

📰 Full story ⤵️

— Hampshire Hawks (@hantscricket) June 18, 2025

Also Read: CPL 2025: Trinbago Knight Riders announce their squad for the upcoming season

Varma's County Challenge: A Step for Red-Ball Ambitions. 

Tilak Varma isn't just in the county scene for the sake of immediate contributions—it is also about learning the various conditions with the longer format of the game. Varma has played just 18 first-class matches; being provided this opportunity in England will be a good means of building off what was a promising start to his red-ball career. This opportunity will provide Varma with the chance to learn how to adapt and face different types of bowling attacks and experience different conditions that he has not faced before. The games against Essex and other widely known teams will provide an opportunity for Tilak to showcase his temperament and technique under pressure situations.

Fans and pundits have reacted positively to Tilak’s move to county cricket. "Tilak Varma to Hampshire is huge for their batting," tweeted a hopeful cricket fan, representing the anticipation of seeing Tilak play in the longer form of the game as a part of a cricket community in the U.K. This opportunity is seen as an entry point for Tilak Parva, with a glimpse into possible wider opportunities later in county cricket and professional cricket opportunities. As Hampshire prepares for these vital fixtures, Tilak Varma will garner a lot of attention as he hopes to transfer his T20 ability into consistent long-form run-scoring.

Young Indian middle-order batsman Tilak Varma has received a valuable chance to develop his red-ball skills abroad, as he signs up with Hampshire for the current English County Championship season. The 22-year-old left-handed batsman, who is known for his unflappable temperament and strong technique, has already played for India in 4 ODIs and 25 T20Is. His signing up with the Southampton-based county outfit is a huge leap in his burgeoning cricketing career.

The news was formally confirmed via a press release by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) on June 11. “The Hyderabad Cricket Association is happy to inform you that Hyderabad International player Mr. N Thakur Tilak Varma has been approached by the team Hampshire County to play in the UK County Championship League,” the release stated. HCA also wished the young cricketer good luck, being hopeful about his success with the county team.

Tilak was seen in competitive action for the last time in IPL 2025, representing Mumbai Indians against Punjab Kings in their Qualifier 2 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 1. At the first-class level, he has played 18 games to date, making 1204 runs with a stupendous average, hitting five centuries and four half-centuries. His last game in red-ball cricket was for India A in the Duleep Trophy in September 2024.

Hampshire's campaign and next fixture

Hampshire have had a patchy season in the 2025 County Championship Division One to date, achieving two victories, three draws, and two defeats from their seven matches. They were recently beaten by 9 wickets by league leaders Sussex at The Rose Bowl.

Also Read: MLC 2025: Glenn Maxwell is set to lead Washington Freedom

The side is now preparing for their next assignment against Essex, with the encounter set to be played from June 22 to 25 at the County Ground in Chelmsford. With the inclusion of Tilak Varma, Hampshire will look to strengthen their middle order and revive their charge in the championship table.

Mumbai Indians' ace batsman Tilak Varma spared some time away from the tight IPL schedule last week to engage in a sporting game of pickleball with film actor Vijay Deverakonda. The two faced each other before their encounter against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, May 06.

The game of pickleball involved Vijay agreeing to wear the Mumbai Indians jersey in case Tilak's side won. Vijay and his companion defeated Tilak and his fellow player with difficulty in a hard-fought 2-1 victory. As much as this was an exhibition match, there was tension playing on both teams, as per Tilak's joke to do something for Vijay should he lose.

"We have placed a bet. If we lose, we must do something for Vijay Anna," Tilak explained. To which the superstar actor replied, "If we win, I will wear the Mumbai Indians jersey." This was not Tilak's first attempt at pickleball, as he was recently seen playing the sport with MI teammate Rohit Sharma and his daughter Samaira.

Watch the video here:

PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE...!!! 🔥

- Vijay Devarakonda playing pickleball with Tilak Varma, The collaboration by Mumbai Indians has been top notch in IPL 2025. pic.twitter.com/FoUS0k3v0Z

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 5, 2025

Jayawardene unperturbed by points table swings, Eyeing MI's last matches

If MI defeat GT, they can overtake Royal Challengers Bengaluru and reclaim the number one position on a superior net run rate. While this continuous swapping of the spots might be exasperating and annoying at times, Mumbai Indians' head coach Mahela Jayawardene expressed that he does not mind these frequent alterations in the points table.Jayawardene added that this is something that he and his team cannot control since the points table will be in a state of constant churning due to the close battle for the playoff positions.

"I mean, clearly, the number of games that you're playing and how that composition works, there is always going to be change, particularly with Punjab Kings having that odd number due to the rain-off game."."But aside from that, all those factors that we as a franchise and I as a coach cannot prevent, I would just concentrate tomorrow on the game, and the next game then, we've got three solid games against us, which would be good to us".So we just want to do what we've been doing, play some good cricket. The boys are concentrated on that, and the rest I can't control. So, my concentration would be what they might control at this point and just keep concentrating on," said Jayawardene in the pre-match press conference.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium saw a dramatic moment during the 29th match of IPL 2025 as the Mumbai Indians traveled to play the Delhi Capitals in a tight fight. Delhi chose to bowl and Mumbai openers started aggressively, being headed by Ryan Rickelton's 41 from 25 deliveries. The South African left-handed batsman played the ball sweetly, setting the pace early on, before being foxed by a traditional Kuldeep Yadav googly.

As the innings went on, Mumbai appeared to be in command. Tilak Varma, who walked in after the loss of a few wickets, stole the initiative with a positive mindset. He attacked the DC bowlers and started to pick up steam when the turning point of the innings almost came in the 13th over.

ALSO SEE: [WATCH] IPL 2025: Axar Patel's acrobatic effort saves a certain six against MI in match number 29

Costly Confusion in the Outfield

Vipraj Nigam, the left-arm bowler, floated one away outside off to Varma, who tried to slog it out over long-on. What ought to have been a routine catch was turned into a comic-tragic situation. Tristan Stubbs and Jake Fraser-McGurk were rushing in towards the ball, Stubbs from long-on and McGurk coming from deep midwicket. The South African slowed down because he was nervous about colliding with his Aussie mate mid-pitch. That moment’s delay left him mispositioned, and despite stretching for the catch, he spilled it. To make matters worse, the ball trickled over the ropes for four, rubbing salt into Delhi’s wounds. While DC’s fielding faltered, their spin duo held firm. Kuldeep Yadav was impressive again, dismissing both Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 28), while Nigam accounted for key wickets of former skipper Rohit Sharma and current skipper Hardik Pandya.

ALSO SEE: Watch: Ashutosh Sharma and Mukesh Kumar Involved in unfortunate collision during DC vs MI match in IPL 2025

Even with their batting depth, MI are struggling in IPL 2025. With just one win from five matches and being ninth in the table, each match is a do-or-die encounter. DC, by contrast, have four wins and are as close to unbeaten as anyone can possibly be and look like a serious title contender.

Stubbs' missed chance may not hurt DC on the scoreboard today, but these moments tend to swing momentum in T20 cricket, and Delhi will hope it does not come back to bite them.

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has raised questions about the growing use of the ‘retired out’ tactic in the IPL, saying it seems more like an act of frustration than a smart move. He made these remarks after Chennai Super Kings retired out opener Devon Conway during their match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday in IPL 2025.

Devon Conway was batting well and had scored 69 runs off 49 balls, but he walked off in the 18th over as CSK chased a big target of 220. Ravindra Jadeja came in with 49 runs still needed from just 13 balls. The plan didn’t work, and CSK lost the match by 18 runs. This wasn’t the first time this season a team tried this. Earlier, Mumbai Indians retired out Tilak Varma during a game against Lucknow Super Giants and they ended up losing too.

Teams using retired out option more out of frustration. it is a tactic that rarely works as there are very few batters who can hit a 6 on first ball they face. Most times it is the struggling batsman on crease who has a better chance of winning the game. Remember Tewatia, he hit…

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 9, 2025

ALSO READ: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals (RCB vs DC): Match 24, IPL 2025, Match Preview

Kaif shared his thoughts on twitter, saying, “Teams are using the retired out option more out of frustration. It rarely works because very few players can hit a six on the first ball they face. Often, even a struggling batter who’s already set might have a better chance. Remember Tewatia? He had scored only 8 from 19 balls, but then smashed 5 sixes in one over.” Kaif’s comments have once again started a debate on whether the retired out tactic is a clever strategy or just a desperate move when things aren’t going well.