Virat Kohli’s twin ton masterclass in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa has propelled him closer to regaining the No. 1 position in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings. Kohli is now close to overtaking teammate Rohit Sharma, who continues to occupy the top spot.
Kohli, who last held the No. 1 ranking in 2021 before being displaced by Pakistan’s Babar Azam, finished the series as Player of the Series with 302 runs across three matches, including two centuries and a composed unbeaten half-century. Rohit, despite scoring 146 runs in the series, managed to retain his top ranking, but Kohli has tightened the gap heading into India’s next ODI assignment.
The 37-year-old has moved up two places to second overall and is now within eight rating points of Rohit, setting up a fascinating leaderboard duel ahead of India’s three-match home series against New Zealand starting January 11. All eyes will once again be on the iconic pair, who continue to remain influential in India’s ODI setup.
Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul climbed two places to reach 12th among ODI batters, while left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the biggest mover in the bowling list, jumping three spots up to third.
Several South African players also benefited from the high-scoring contests despite losing the series 2-1. Quinton de Kock’s century in the second match lifted him three places to 13th, captain Aiden Markram moved four places to 25th, while Temba Bavuma advanced to 37th.
In the latest ICC T20I rankings updated after the opening match of the India-South Africa T20 series, young Proteas batter Dewald Brevis jumped three places to eighth. Meanwhile, India’s comprehensive 101-run win in Cuttack saw Axar Patel rise to 13th among bowlers, Arshdeep Singh climb to 20th, and Jasprit Bumrah surge six spots to reach 25th.
In Test cricket, Australian left-arm speedster Mitchell Starc continues to enjoy a career-best phase. His back-to-back Player of the Match performances in the Ashes earned him a jump to third in the Test bowler rankings after taking 18 wickets across two matches.