India Dominates ICC Rankings Across All Formats
Virat Kohli jumped to No. 2 in the ICC ODI batting rankings after a brilliant series against South Africa, where he scored 302 runs and won the Player of the Series award.
Virat Kohli’s late-career comeback grew even stronger on Wednesday as he moved up to No. 2 in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings. After a superb ODI series against South Africa, he is now just eight rating points behind Rohit Sharma. This is Kohli’s closest push toward the top spot since Babar Azam overtook him in April 2021.
The 37-year-old looked like his old dominant self in the entire three-match series, scoring 302 runs and easily winning the Player of the Series award. After back-to-back centuries in Ranchi (135) and Guwahati (102), his unbeaten 65 in Visakhapatnam completed a perfect series. This strong run of form shows how he is consistently producing big knocks again, just like in his prime.
Hitman Rohit Sharma at top
Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, stayed firmly at No. 1 in the ODI batting rankings after scoring 146 runs in the series. Even though Kohli stole most of the spotlight, Rohit’s solid performance helped him keep his top spot. With both Rohit and Kohli holding the top two positions, India is back to a time when the duo regularly dominated the world ODI rankings.
Shubman Gill, who was rested for the series, remained steady at No. 5, showing how strong India’s ODI top order continues to be. KL Rahul’s calm and confident performances as stand-in captain helped him rise two spots to No. 12, continuing the steady progress he has shown in white-ball cricket over the past year.
India tasted more success in the bowling rankings too. Kuldeep Yadav, one of the most reliable limited-overs bowlers this year, moved up three places to No. 3 among ODI bowlers. His tight bowling in the middle overs and ability to take key wickets against South Africa strengthened his reputation as one of the world’s best wrist-spinners.
South African batters also gained from the hard-fought series. Quinton de Kock moved up three spots to No. 13, Aiden Markram reached No. 25, and captain Temba Bavuma climbed to No. 37. All three were rewarded for their important, even if occasional, contributions during the series.
The latest T20I rankings also brought good news for India’s bowlers. Axar Patel moved up to No. 13 among bowlers, Arshdeep Singh climbed to No. 20, and Jasprit Bumrah jumped six places to No. 25 after India’s dominant 101-run win over South Africa in the first T20I in Cuttack.
India also strengthened their position in Test cricket. Yashasvi Jaiswal stayed India’s highest-ranked Test batter at No. 8, while Shubman Gill moved to No. 11 and Rishabh Pant to No. 13 after their steady recent performances.
In the bowling list, New Zealand’s Mitchell Starc grabbed attention by jumping to No. 3 after two straight Player of the Match displays in the Ashes, placing him just behind No. 1 Jasprit Bumrah. India’s Mohammed Siraj (No. 12), Ravindra Jadeja (No. 13), and Kuldeep Yadav (No. 14) also rose by one spot each, putting even more Indian bowlers at the top of the rankings.
Kohli’s rise, more than three years after he last held the No. 1 ODI spot, adds an exciting twist before a busy white-ball schedule in 2026. With so many Indian players now ranking near the top across all formats, India is entering a period of unmatched overall strength.
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