Virat Kohli Triumphantly Returns to No.1 in ICC ODI Rankings

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

Virat Kohli has ascended to the pinnacle of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings after a hiatus of over three years, showcasing his remarkable abilities in one-day cricket. This marks the cricketer's return to the No.1 position for the first time since July 2021, following an exceptional performance against New Zealand.

In the opening match of the ODI series in Vadodara last Sunday, Kohli made a significant impact with a stylish innings of 93 runs off 91 balls, which played a vital role in securing victory for India and enabled him to surpass teammate Rohit Sharma in the rankings.

This achievement marks the 11th occasion in Kohli’s distinguished career that he has held the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings. He first reached this coveted position in October 2013 and has now accumulated a record total of 825 days at the top, the highest for an Indian batter. Notably, he ranks 10th on the all-time leaderboard, behind West Indies icon Viv Richards who leads with 2,306 days.

Kohli’s resurgence in ODI cricket follows a challenging period where he recorded two consecutive ducks against Australia last October. However, he rejuvenated his form with a commanding 74 in Sydney. Following this, he scored an impressive 135, 102, and an unbeaten 65 in the ODI series versus South Africa during his return to home grounds.

Despite Kohli’s impressive run, he faces fierce competition for the top ranking. New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell is hot on his heels, just one rating point behind, after posting 84 runs in the series opener, pushing Rohit Sharma to third place, trailing Kohli by 10 points.

In additional updates from the ODI rankings, K.L. Rahul has climbed one position to 11th, while Devon Conway surged three spots to 29th among batters. In the bowling category, Mohammed Siraj advanced five spots to 15th, and Kyle Jamieson made significant strides, jumping 27 positions to reach 69th.

In the ICC Men’s Test rankings, Travis Head and Steve Smith of Australia have ascended to third and fourth positions respectively, following their centuries in the final Ashes Test at Sydney. England's Joe Root continues to lead the Test batting rankings, with Harry Brook in second position. Among the bowlers, Mitchell Starc has risen from ninth to third after stellar performances in the Ashes series.