A sublime run has seen ‘Chasemaster’ Virat Kohli climbing up to the top spot of the ICC ODI Rankings for batters. Kohli has displaced teammate Rohit Sharma from the summit who in turn has slipped to the third
spot. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has climbed up to the second position now.
Kohli has become the world’s top-ranked ODI batter for the first time since July 2021. The Indian batting superstar’s recent run has seen him score 135, 102, and an unbeaten 65 from the three matches of the South Africa ODI series last year. He followed that with a masterful 93 in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday to set up a four-wicket win.
Kohli’s productive phase began with back-to-back ducks in Australia last October year. He ended the bilateral series on a high though with 74 not out in Sydney.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has also surpassed Sharma, thanks to his score of 84, intensifying the competition among the top three batters, separated by just 10 points.
Other notable changes in the ODI rankings include K.L. Rahul moving up one place to 11th, and Devon Conway climbing three places to 29th among batters. Among bowlers, Mohammad Siraj has advanced five places to 15th, while Kyle Jamieson has jumped 27 places to 69th.
In the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, Travis Head and Steve Smith have moved up to third and fourth positions, respectively, following their first-innings centuries in the final Ashes Test. Australia secured a 4-1 victory in Sydney. England’s Joe Root, having scored a century in Australia, remains at the top, with Harry Brook holding onto the second position. Jacob Bethell’s impressive knock of 154 has elevated him 25 places to 52nd.
In the Test bowling rankings, Mitchell Starc’s 31 wickets have propelled him from ninth to third place, and his batting performances have placed him among the top five Test all-rounders. Scott Boland’s 20 wickets have helped him maintain his seventh position. Michael Naser has broken into the top 50 for the first time, while England’s Josh Tongue has climbed nine places to a career-best 21st position, following his six-wicket haul in the match.
Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has risen to second in the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings after taking five wickets in the three-match series against Pakistan. Pakistan’s batters Sahibzada Farhan and Salman Agha have also improved their rankings, moving up to fifth and 41st, respectively. Left-arm seamer Salman Mirza has advanced 16 places to 19th after claiming three wickets in the series.
With Inputs From ICC
