T20 World Cup 2024 Ladder: Rohit Sharma drops a spot, Virat Kohli enters top 10 in week 2 of our rankings

This is why The Indian Express’ sports team will run the T20 World Cup Ladder, a daily form tracker of sorts where we try to slip into the shoes of the Indian think tank and try to work out what Team India will look like for the World Cup 2024.

Here’s how the T20 World Cup Ladder works and how you can participate as well: Player positions on the T20 World Cup Ladder will be updated on a weekly basis by The Indian Express sports team.

But if you think Virat Kohli should definitely make the cut into the Indian team, or if you think India should gamble on Rishabh Pant in the T20 World Cup, we’d like to know your thoughts on our T20 World Cup Ladder. Write in to us: sports@indianexpress.com

You can click here to check our Week 1 T20 World Cup Ladder:

Here’s our T20 World Cup ladder for Week 2:

1. Jasprit Bumrah: 3/14, 0/36, 0/26 (Last Week Rank: 2)

Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans’ David Miller during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. (PTI)

As stated during our opening week rankings, there aren’t two ways about Jasprit Bumrah’s vitality to India’s fortunes. That extends to the Mumbai Indians as well. In his first IPL game in two years, Bumrah produced spellbinding figures of three for 14 against the Gujarat Titans. A concoction of his well-documented yorker and slower ball was in full effect even as he ended up on the losing side. In the next game where the MI bowlers were sent on a leather hunt during a record-high T20 score (277/3) set by Sunrisers Hyderabad, Bumrah remained at an economy of 9 in four overs.

2. Rohit Sharma: 43, 26, 0 (Last Week Rank: 1)

The team India skipper has been relieved of the captaincy with his IPL franchise, and that may have rekindled some of his old fluidity with the bat at the top. But Rohit has yet to notch up the league with sustained phases of attack. There was not much that Rohit could have done to put MI on course for a 278-run target against SRH, but he chipped in with a quick 12-ball 26 , following a brisk 43 in his first match. A slip in the ladder comes after a golden duck in his third outing.

3. Yashasvi Jaiswal: 24, 5, 10 (Last Week Rank: 3)

Jaiswal’s transition from a record-breaking Test series against England has been a tad bumpy, with the left-hander falling thrice within the PowerPlay. With contenders all along, the Rajasthan Royals opener will want to make up quickly in the upcoming games and put himself and his team in good stead.

4. Kuldeep Yadav: 2/20, 1/41, DNP (Last Week Rank: 4)

Delhi Capitals’ lead spinner started with a fine display against the Punjab Kings, even though he could not prevent a defeat. Kuldeep was threatening against the Royals too, with an early scalp of Jos Buttler. However, the left-armer ended up with figures of 1/41 after a Riyan Parag-Ashwin onslaught. He will, however, hold onto his No. 4 spot on our ladder as he continues to be India’s solitary attacking spin option.

5. Axar Patel: 21 & 0/25, 15* & 1/21, 7* & 1/20 (Last Week Rank: 8)

Often slipped under the radar, Axar Patel continues to go about his task of choking runs with success. He hasn’t conceded over 25 runs in three games and also chipped in with the bat while being slotted in a weakened Capitals middle-order: Axar’s 1/20 in three overs turned out to be crucial for the Capitals in their first win of the season against Chennai Super Kings. A promotion on the ladder was inevitable.

6. Rinku Singh: 23, 5* (Last week rank: 5)

With the Kolkata Knight Riders posing a dangerous batting unit this time, Rinku Singh may only be seen in streaks and flashes for a while at least. Playing second-fiddle to an Andre Russell blitzkrieg, Rinku compiled 23 in the opening game before remaining unbeaten in KKR’s win over RCB in Bengaluru.

7. Arshdeep Singh: 2/28, 0/40, 2/30 (Last week rank: 6)

Although he has bought himself four wickets in three games with incisive PowerPlay bowling, Arshdeep’s death-overs precision is what made his spot in India’s T20I XI a certainty, especially in the absence of Bumrah over the last two seasons. The left-armer has had a rocky start, stressed by his bowling in the defeat to RCB in Bengaluru. The PBKS bowler went for 24 in the 18th and 20th overs as Dinesh Karthik sealed a famous RCB win.

8. Virat Kohli: 21, 77, 83* (Last week rank: 13)

IPL 2024 Most Runs: Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings. (PTI)

He’s back in action, and how! If the doubts were creeping up for fans and perhaps the selectors even, Virat Kohli has shown that he has “still got it” with two knocks of trademark quality. While his unbeaten 83 may not have necessarily taken RCB across the line against KKR, Kohli could not have done better after a top-order wobble. The flicks and drives look in fine condition, and while the strike-rate debate continues, Kohli has put his mind to making a turnaround.

9. Shubman Gill: 31, 8, 36 (Last week rank: 7)

With the captaincy suffix behind his name now, Shubman Gill’s start with the bat has not been endearing as such, even as the bat has flown with the drives and pulls on occasions. His team may have won two games, but Gill and the Titans are still searching for their first individual fifty. Team India, too, will be keeping a tab on his contributions.

10. Ravi Bishnoi: 1/38, 0/25 (Last week rank: 9)

Continuing to feed on the strength of bowling googlies, Bishnoi’s start may not have been the best so far. While he may be India’s key right-arm legspinner at the moment, Bishnoi’s wavering outings may see him drift heavily through the ladder in the coming weeks.

11. Ravindra Jadeja: 25&, 7, 21*, 0/21, 0/15, 1/43 (Last week rank: 11)

With three spinners already ahead of him, Jadeja has his task cut out to come on top in terms of his primary skill, spin bowling. The batting has not been a standout either, pronounced by his sluggish 17-ball 21* not taking CSK anywhere in a 192-run chase against DC.

12. Suryakumar Yadav – DNP (Last week rank: 12)

Nobody can vie for your spot just as yet, SKY. See you back on the field soon.

13. Jitesh Sharma: 9, 27, 6 (Last week rank: 10)

And just like that, Jitesh Sharma may not be the favourite for the wicketkeeper’s slot as yet. With three poor outings, the PBKS vice-captain will be feeling the heat from the other glovesmen in the fray catching up.

14. Mohammed Siraj: 0/38, 2/26, 0/46 (Last week rank: 14)

Mercurial are his ways in the T20 circuit. Siraj has gone wicketless twice in three games, conceding 38 and 46, respectively. On a day when he clicks, RCB tends to fire. A fine burst against PBKS at the Chinnaswamy had Siraj walk away with figures of 2/26 and a win for his side. But with inconsistencies labelling his bowling in the format, Siraj may want to buckle up quickly.

15. Hardik Pandya: 11, 24, 34, 0/30, 1/46 (Last week rank: 15)

Hardik Pandya (c) of Mumbai Indians and Sanju Samson (c) of Rajasthan Royals during the toss of the match 14 of the Indian Premier League season 17 (IPL 2024) between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on the 1st April 2024. (Photo by Vipin Pawar / Sportzpics for IPL)

His opening week as Mumbai Indians captain couldn’t have been worse. Questionable tactics, poor run with the ball and depreciating charges with the bat has put him at the centre of two of Mumbai’s three defeats. The good thing? His body seems to hold together in one piece.

16. Shivam Dube: 34*, 51, 18 (Last week rank: 18)

What Shivam Dube brings with the bat when he strides into the middle is no big secret. He loves to smash the spinners and CSK have deployed him for that very simple reason. But the tall southpaw has upgraded in terms of batting against pace too, with improving returns against his supposed kryptonite, the short ball. Dube is CSK’s leading run-scorer so far with 103 runs in three outings at a wholesome 151.47 strike rate, moving up significantly in the ladder.

17. Tilak Varma: 25, 64, 32 (Last week rank: 17)

Another batter who tends to sway between extremes, Tilak Varma’s 64 off 36 deliveries against the Sunrisers had him operate in beast mode. Smashing six sixes and two fours, Tilak’s charge at No. 4 had MI believing they could pull off a record 278 chase. That may be a quality that would impress the team India management too in the upcoming weeks.

18. Sanju Samson: 82*, 15, 12 (Last week rank: 19)

It may be nascent to delve into Samson’s numbers early on in a season, for it may flatter to deceive later on. However, that will not write off the class of the Rajasthan Royals skipper’s unbeaten 82 against Lucknow Super Giants, carved by a string of his classical strokeplay. Samson’s second outing fell in the other basket, falling for 15 shortly after he hit three boundaries in succession.

19. Ruturaj Gaikwad: 15, 46, 1 (Last week rank: 16)

Returning from a brief injury layoff coupled with a sensational takeover as Chennai Super Kings captain, Ruturaj has not kicked in with the bat just yet. He will be mindful that there are at least four opening options ahead of him and nothing short of a miraculous run in the remainder of the season can put him in contention.

20. Rishabh Pant: 18, 28, 51 (Last week rank: 23)

Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals captain, scored his first 50 of IPL 2024 against the Chennai Super Kings. (PHOTO: PTI)

If anything was ever required to truly announce his return, it would be that one-handed hoick for six over mid-wicket. Pant had enough and more muscle in the tank to pull it off against CSK on Sunday and the left-hander strode along to complete a half-century in his third game back on the field. The skipper’s fifty propelled Delhi onto their first win and things are shaping up positively for an India return soon enough.

21. Yuzvendra Chahal: 1/25, 2/19, 3/11 (Last week: 22)

22. KL Rahul: 58, 15 (Last week: 21)

23. Avesh Khan: 0/21, 1/29, 1/30 (Last week: 29)

24. Dhruv Jurel: 20*, 20 (Last week: 24)

25. R Ashwin: 1/35, 29 & 0/30, 16 & 0/27 (Last week: 28)

26. Mukesh Kumar: 1/49, 3/21 (Last week: 26)

27. Washington Sundar: 0, 0/27 (Last week: 20)

28. Riyan Parag: (New entry)

29. Mohit Sharma: (New entry)

30. Khaleel Ahmed’: (New entry)

31. Shreyas Iyer: 0, 39* (Last week: 27)

32. Ishan Kishan: 0, 34, 16 (Last week: 30)

Out of the top 32

Deepak Chahar: 1/37, 2/28, 0/42

Rahul Chahar: 1/33, 0/16, 1/42

Shardul Thakur: Yet to play