Virat Kohli Reclaims World No.1 ODI Batter Ranking After Four Years, Overtakes Rohit Sharma

Indian batting star Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top position in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings after a gap of nearly four years, marking another milestone in his illustrious career. The latest update sees Kohli replace teammate Rohit Sharma to regain the world No.1 spot for the first time since July 2021.

Kohli’s rise back to the summit follows a strong run of form in the 50-over format. His fluent 93 off 91 balls in the opening ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara played a key role in India’s victory and helped him edge ahead in the rankings. The knock capped a consistent comeback phase after earlier setbacks, reaffirming his dominance in one-day internationals.

This is the 11th time Kohli has topped the ODI batting rankings, taking his total time at No.1 to 825 days — the most by any Indian batter. In the overall all-time list, he currently sits tenth, with former West Indies great Viv Richards holding the record for the longest reign at the top.

The competition, however, remains intense. New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell is close behind, just one rating point adrift, while Rohit Sharma has slipped to third place. With two ODIs still left in the series, the rankings could witness further movement.

Elsewhere in the rankings, KL Rahul moved up one spot among batters, while bowlers such as Mohammed Siraj registered notable gains. The latest rankings highlight a dynamic phase in international cricket as players across formats continue to reshuffle positions through strong performances.