Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has revealed his top five current T20 batters, placing young Indian opener Abhishek Sharma at the top of his list. Rahane also included Jos Buttler, Finn Allen, Nicholas Pooran and Heinrich Klaasen, recognising their ability to dominate bowlers and change the course of a match in the shortest format.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Rahane explained the qualities that make each batter dangerous in T20 cricket. However, his selection notably did not include young Indian sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has attracted attention for his impressive start to his career.

Rahane placed England’s Jos Buttler at No. 5. Having shared the dressing room with the wicketkeeper-batter at Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rahane is familiar with his attacking approach and match-winning ability. Buttler has amassed 13,466 runs in T20 cricket, including 4,646 in the IPL and 4,037 in T20 internationals. His eight centuries in the format further underline his ability to produce substantial innings.

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“At number five, for me, it is Jos Buttler. He is England’s greatest white-ball cricketer. I have played with him at Rajasthan Royals, and now he is with Gujarat Titans. He is a very dangerous player,” Ajinkya Rahane said.

New Zealand opener Finn Allen occupied the fourth position. Rahane praised Allen’s quality at the top of the order and his ability to put opposition bowlers under pressure from the outset. Allen has scored 5,276 runs in T20 cricket at an impressive strike rate of 181.43.

West Indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran was Ajinkya Rahane’s third choice. The former Kolkata Knight Riders captain highlighted Pooran’s ability to attack both pace and spin, making him a significant threat in the middle order. Pooran has accumulated 10,549 T20 runs, including 2,527 in the IPL and 2,275 in T20 internationals. “At number three, it is Nicholas Pooran. He is a left-hander who is dangerous against both spinners and fast bowlers. He can change the game at any time,” Rahane explained.

South African batter Heinrich Klaasen secured the second spot. Rahane was particularly impressed by Klaasen’s development over the past three to five seasons and his ability to deliver match-winning performances in different situations. Klaasen has scored 6,467 runs in T20 cricket, including 2,104 in the IPL.

Rahane ultimately selected Abhishek Sharma as his No. 1 T20 batter, praising the Indian opener’s attacking intent, consistency and growing maturity. The left-hander has scored 5,912 runs in T20 cricket, including 2,379 in the IPL and 1,546 in T20 internationals. His overall T20 strike rate of 176.64 reflects his aggressive style.

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“My No. 1 is Abhishek Sharma. His form, consistency, intent, and the maturity he has shown over the last one or two years have been amazing,” Ajinkya Rahane concluded. Rahane’s ranking highlights the growing influence of aggressive top-order batters and versatile middle-order players in modern T20 cricket, with Abhishek’s recent progress earning him the highest position on the list.