Virat Kohli Finishes T20I Career Higher Than Ravindra Jadeja in ICC All-Rounder Rankings
Virat Kohli left Ravindra Jadeja behind in T20I all-rounder rankings (Twitter)
In an unexpected twist that left the cricketing world buzzing, Virat Kohli, known for his batting brilliance, has clinched a higher spot than his all-rounder teammate Ravindra Jadeja in the latest ICC T20I rankings.
Kohli finishes his career ahead of Jadeja in ICC T20I all-rounder rankings
Despite spending most of his 125-match T20I career batting rather than turning his arm over, Virat Kohli managed to secure the 79th position on the all-rounder list, while Jadeja, a seasoned all-rounder, lagged behind at 86th.
Notably, Kohli did not bowl in 112 out of his 125 T20Is & has just 4 wickets to his name, which makes the ICC rankings even more appalling.
The ICC's July 2 update revealed Kohli's remarkable standing, where he was ranked 40th in batting and surprisingly ahead of Ravindra Jadeja in the all-rounder's category by a margin of four points.
This ranking anomaly has sparked debates and raised eyebrows, as Jadeja was India's go-to all-rounder for the T20 World Cup 2024, a tournament where India emerged victorious, remaining unbeaten and defeating South Africa by seven runs in the final at Barbados.
Jadeja's ranking woes can be partly attributed to his sporadic T20I appearances, leading to significant fluctuations in his performances.
Despite being one of the top Test all-rounders, Jadeja's T20I career never quite took off. His bowling yielded 54 wickets in 71 matches, but consistency eluded him. His batting numbers were equally lacklustre, amassing 515 runs in 41 innings at an average of 21.46 and a strike rate of 127.16.
However, Kohli's Player of the Match performance in the final overshadowed Jadeja's subdued campaign, where he managed only 35 runs across five innings and a solitary wicket in seven matches.
Meanwhile, as the curtains fell on their illustrious T20I careers, both Kohli and Jadeja, along with their captain Rohit Sharma, called time on their T20I career, leaving behind a legacy of victory and a fascinating endnote in the ICC rankings saga.