Massive rankings jump confirmed for South Africa batter

South Africa batter Connor Esterhuizen has continued his recent rise by making giant strides on the latest update to the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings.

Esterhuizen made an immediate impact when commencing his international career during South Africa's recent T20I series in New Zealand, with the 24-year-old amassing a total of 200 runs to be adjudged the Player of the Series.

It helped Esterhuizen jump from outside the top 100 spots for T20I batters to 39th overall, capping a fine fortnight for the hard-hitting right-hander and the Proteas as they claimed a narrow 3-2 series triumph.

Esterhuizen's haul of 200 runs was double more than anyone else managed across the five-game series, with New Zealand keeper Tim Robinson (up two places to equal 32nd) also making ground on the list for T20I batters following his 81 runs against the Proteas.

India duo Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan remain in the top two spots on the batter rankings, with England veteran Jos Buttler (up one rung to eighth) and New Zealand batter Tim Seifert (down one spot to ninth) the only players inside the top 20 to move positions this week.

It's a similar story in the updated T20I bowler rankings that are still headed by Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, with a host of South Africa players the big winners following their efforts against New Zealand.

Pace trio Gerald Coetzee (up 36 spots to equal 52nd), Ottneil Baartman (up 10 places to 56th) and George Linde (up six rungs to equal 62nd) make some ground, while inexperienced New Zealand seamer Zakary Foulkes (up 11 slots to 70th) is also rewarded.

Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza remains at the top of the list for T20I all-rounders, with Coetzee the biggest eye-catcher this week as he moves up 14 spots to equal 72nd following eight wickets and 18 runs across the series against New Zealand.