Southampton, July 12: England have replaced reigning T20 World Cup champions India as the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s T20I side after completing a comprehensive 4-0 series whitewash, bringing an end to India’s remarkable 1,605-day reign at the top of the ICC rankings.
Harry Brook’s side sealed the historic achievement with a commanding 56-run victory in the fifth and final T20I at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, completing one of the most dominant bilateral series triumphs in recent years. The ICC’s updated rankings, to be officially released on Wednesday, will see England move above India after entering the series decider trailing the visitors by just two rating points.
The series marks a dramatic shift in the balance of power in international T20 cricket. India had occupied the summit since February 2022, building their dominance through successive T20 World Cup titles, consistent bilateral success and an enviable record across conditions. However, a disastrous tour of Ireland and England, in which they failed to register a single victory in seven matches, has resulted in the end of their long-standing supremacy.
England’s rise under Brook has been equally remarkable. Since taking over the captaincy last year, the young skipper has transformed the side into the most formidable team in the format, winning 20 of their 23 completed T20Is. Their aggressive brand of cricket, coupled with fearless batting and disciplined bowling, proved too much for the defending world champions throughout the series.
The hosts signed off in style in Southampton, producing one of the finest batting displays in T20I history. Jos Buttler smashed a breathtaking 131 off just 64 deliveries while Brook remained unbeaten on 95 from 45 balls as the pair stitched together a sensational 233-run partnership for the second wicket. The stand not only laid the foundation for England’s imposing total of 257 for three but also entered the record books as the highest second-wicket partnership in all men’s T20 cricket and the fourth-highest partnership for any wicket in men’s T20 internationals. The total of 257 for three is now the highest ever scored against India in a men’s T20 international, eclipsing England’s own previous record of 246 for seven.
For Buttler, the innings marked a spectacular return to form after a lean run. His 131 is the highest individual score ever made against India in T20Is, the second-highest by an England batter in the format and his ninth career T20 century. The knock also saw him become England’s highest run-scorer in T20 cricket, overtaking Alex Hales, while moving to third on the all-time list of men’s T20I run-getters.
India’s defeat highlighted the magnitude of their decline over the past few weeks. The world champions have now gone seven consecutive T20Is without a victory, their longest winless streak in the format, while the six successive defeats represent their worst losing run in completed T20 internationals.
The 4-0 scoreline is another unwanted milestone for India. It is the first time they have lost four matches in a bilateral T20I series and the first series involving more than two matches in which they failed to register a single win.
Captain Shreyas Iyer’s difficult start to international leadership also continued. Having lost six of the first seven matches under his captaincy, Iyer now holds the unwanted record for the most defeats suffered by any India captain before registering a maiden international victory.
England’s dominance extended well beyond the final result. Their innings featured five overs yielding 20 or more runs, including three consecutive overs during the death phase, exposing India’s inability to contain the onslaught. It was the first time India had conceded five 20-plus overs in a men’s T20I innings, while two Indian bowlers also leaked over 60 runs in the same innings for only the eighth time in T20I history.
Before the series finale, Brook had openly admitted that becoming the world’s No. 1-ranked T20I team was one of England’s major objectives. His players responded emphatically, completing a clean sweep over the reigning world champions and ending one of the longest reigns at the top of the ICC T20I rankings.
While India remain the defending T20 World Cup champions, the rankings change reflects England’s growing dominance in the shortest format.
With the ODI World Cup next year and the 2028 T20 World Cup on the horizon, Brook’s side have firmly established themselves as the new benchmark in men’s T20 international cricket, while India are left searching for answers after a tour that exposed glaring flaws in both execution and planning. (Agencies)
