Virat Kohli Regains World No. 1 ODI Ranking After More Than Four Years, Dethrones Rohit Sharma

Virat Kohli has reclaimed the No. 1 position in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings, rising to the top for the first time in over four years. The Indian superstar, widely regarded as one of the greatest 50-over batters of all time, has leapfrogged teammate Rohit Sharma to regain the crown.

New Zealand's in-form batter Daryl Mitchell has also surged upward, slotting into second place and pushing Rohit down to third. This is the first time Kohli has claimed the top spot since July 2021.

Kohli's ascent comes on the back of a sparkling run across the past few months. His purple patch began after a pair of ducks in Australia last October, but he turned that slump around in style with a commanding unbeaten 74 in Sydney. He continued that momentum in the South Africa series, hammering scores of 135, 102, and 65* in three ODIs, re-establishing his mastery in the format. The push to No. 1 was completed with a fluent 93 against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday, setting up India's four-wicket victory in the series opener.

The battle at the top has tightened significantly, with Kohli, Mitchell, and Rohit now separated by just 10 rating points, building up an intriguing race.

Several other players have also moved up the ODI charts. India's K.L. Rahul has inched up to No. 11 after a steady run of scores, while New Zealand opener Devon Conway jumped three spots to 29th. Among the bowlers, India's Mohammad Siraj climbed five places to 15th, and Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson vaulted 27 places to 69th after impressing with the ball.

Top 10 Men's Batting Rankings (ODIs)