ICC ODI Rankings: Virat Kohli overtakes Rohit Sharma, returns to top after four years

Virat Kohli has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings for the first time since July 2021, marking yet another milestone in his illustrious career.

The former India captain surged to the top after overtaking teammate Rohit Sharma, following a match-winning knock against New Zealand in the opening ODI at Vadodara. Kohli’s fluent 93 off 91 balls in the first ODI proved decisive in reshaping the rankings.

Remarkable Run of Form Continues

Kohli’s return to the summit has been fuelled by a string of commanding performances across recent series. During the home ODIs against South Africa in November–December, he registered scores of 135, 102, and an unbeaten 65. This was followed by a polished 74 not out against Australia in the third ODI in Sydney in October.


Across his last five ODI innings, Kohli has crossed the fifty-run mark every time, amassing 469 runs from five matches, including two centuries and three half-centuries.

Tight Battle at the Top of Rankings

Thanks to his rich vein of form, Kohli now leads the rankings with 785 rating points. Rohit Sharma has slipped to third place with 775 points, while New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has moved up to second after scoring 84 in the first ODI, sitting just one point behind Kohli with 784 ratings.

With only 10 points separating the top three batters, the race for the No.1 position is expected to intensify in the coming days.

KL Rahul and Siraj Make Gains

India’s strong showing in the rankings wasn’t limited to Kohli alone. Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul climbed one place to 11th in the ODI batting rankings. Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammad Siraj made a notable jump, improving five places to reach 15th in the ODI bowling rankings.