As the year 2025 comes to a close, the cricketing world has witnessed an exciting mix of veteran and young prospects, each of whom has been brilliant in the 50-over format. Though this year had fewer ODI
games, with a total of 114 matches across the globe, batters and bowlers still managed to prove themselves and perform in those chances.
From classic openers who gave solid starts to skippers who led from the front and won global competitions, the ODI games played were a fix of drama and excitement. With several impressive players showcasing their abilities across forms, selecting the best ODI XI of 2025 becomes a difficult challenge. In this article, CricTracker has listed out the best ODI XI of 2025.
Here's CricTracker's ODI XI of 2025:
Top order: Rohit Sharma (C), Matthew Breetzke, Virat Kohli
Modern-day great Rohit Sharma was the automatic choice to open and captain the ODI XI of the Year after a solid year. Leading from the front, the World No.1 ODI batter guided India to a historic ICC Champions Trophy triumph, winning all eight ODIs played under his captaincy. Rohit scored 650 runs in 14 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 100.46, smashing two centuries and four fifties without a single duck. His unbeaten 121 in Australia sealed his place at the top of the ICC rankings. Despite stepping away from leadership duties, he remains India's first-choice opener and is the leading six-hitter in the ODIs.
Matthew Breetzke’s 2025 ODI year has been nothing short of impressive for South Africa. The young right-hander finished the year as the Proteas’ leading run-scorer, scoring 706 runs in just 12 ODIs. Breetzke averaged 64.18 while scoring at a strike rate of 96.71. His tally included a memorable 150 on debut, the highest individual score on ODI debut, along with one century and six fifties. He repeatedly delivered solid top-order starts, hitting 60 fours and 17 sixes.
Despite announcing his retirement from Test cricket in May, Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains the best batter in ODIs. India’s leading run-getter in the format in 2025, Kohli hammered 651 runs in 13 ODIs at an average of 65.10 and a strike rate of 96.15. He hit three centuries and four fifties, with a highest score of 135, while remaining not out on three occasions. He finished the year at No. 2 in the ICC ODI batting rankings and also played crucial knocks for his home state, Delhi, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Middle-order: Joe Root, KL Rahul (WK)
England’s JoeRoot was an automatic pick in the 2025 ODI XI of the Year, slotting in at No.4 after a dominant run with the bat. Root finished as the highest run-scorer in ODIs in 2025, scoring 808 runs in 15 matches and 15 innings. He averaged 57.71, at a strike rate of 95.50. His best knock was an unbeaten 166, and he registered three centuries and four half-centuries during the year. Root faced 846 deliveries, remained not out once, and did not record a single duck. With 75 fours and four sixes, he anchored England’s batting throughout the year.
India's KL Rahul will take up the wicketkeeping duties in the ODI XI of 2025. In 14 ODIs, he scored 367 runs at an average of 52.42 and a strike rate of 107.94, adapting between No. 4 and No. 6. His finishing stood out during India’s Champions Trophy triumph, where his ability to absorb pressure and accelerate late proved crucial in knockout matches. Behind the stumps, Rahul bagged 17 dismissals, making him a reliable keeper-batter. The year also saw Rahul step up as India’s stand-in captain against South Africa in the absence of Shubman Gill.
All-rounders: Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell was one of the standout all-rounders in ODIs, anchoring the middle order consistently. He finished the year with 761 runs from 17 matches, making him the second-highest run-getter in the format. His stellar run included a seventh ODI century against West Indies, a knock that propelled him to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings in November 2025, dethroning Rohit Sharma. That achievement made him only the second New Zealand batter, after Glenn Turner, to reach No. 1. However, he ended the year as the No. 3-ranked ODI batter.
Mitchell Santner led New Zealand brilliantly in 2025, in the ODI format, and delivered consistently with both bat and ball. As captain, he marshalled his resources smartly, using himself as a solid bowler through the middle overs. Santner featured in 17 ODIs, claiming 25 wickets at an average of 26.84, an economy of 4.57, and a strike rate of 35.2. His best figures of 3/41 came in pressure situations, most notably the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore, where his 3/43 guided the Black Caps into the final. With the bat, Santner chipped in with handy lower-order runs.
Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Matt Henry, Jayden Seales, Kuldeep Yadav
England leg-spinner Adil Rashid enjoyed an outstanding ODI year in 2025, finishing as the best spinner in the format. In 15 ODIs, Rashid claimed 30 wickets, the highest by any spinner this year, at an average of 23.63. He bowled 120.4 overs, conceding 709 runs, with a strike rate of 24.1, and was the best wicket-taking threat through the middle overs. Notably, he also registered two four-wicket hauls. Across conditions, Rashid remained England’s go-to spin option in 2025, dominating the ODI bowling charts among spinners.
Ace pacer Matt Henry was clinical for New Zealand in ODIs this year. The right-arm bowler claimed 31 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 18.58, picking with both the new ball and at the death. Henry’s standout performance came in the ICC Champions Trophy, where he finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 10 scalps, playing a crucial role in New Zealand’s campaign. He also ended with three four-wicket hauls.
West Indies' Jayden Seales enjoyed a brilliant year in the 50-over format in 2025, being his team’s go-to bowler. In 12 matches, the right-arm pacer picked up 27 wickets at an average of just over 18. His most memorable performance came against Pakistan in August 2025, when Seales produced a spell of 6/18 in the third ODI at Tarouba. He ran through Pakistan’s top order, dismissing four batters inside his first five overs, including three ducks, to seal a historic series win. That spell ranks among the finest ODI bowling performances by a West Indian.
India's left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, was a consistent wicket-taking option in ODIs in 2025 and made a strong case for inclusion in India’s first-choice XI. He finished the year with 19 wickets in 11 ODIs at an average of 29, providing regular breakthroughs. Notably, he registered two four-wicket hauls. Kuldeep was an integral part of India’s victorious Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, including figures of 2/40 in the final, where he helped keep pressure on New Zealand.
ODI team of the year
Rohit Sharma (C), Matthew Breetzke, Virat Kohli, Joe Root, KL Rahul (WK), Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Adil Rashid, Matt Henry, Jayden Seales, Kuldeep Yadav
12th Man: Michael Bracewell
