ICC ODI Rankings: Virat Kohli is back to where he truly belongs as the senior Indian batter reclaimed the no.1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings amid his incredible batting form. Virat displaced his India teammate Rohit Sharma to take over the top spot in the latest update after his outstanding knock in the first ODI match against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday.
Virat continued his masterclass in the ODIs as he produced a match-winning effort against the Blackcaps. Having missed out on his 54th ODI century, Virat scored 93 runs in 91 balls on the back of eight fours and a six as India defeated New Zealand by 3 wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. The senior batter smashed multiple records during his stay at the crease, also completing his 28,000 runs in international cricket. He is the fastest to achieve this feat, inching closer to Sachin Tendulkar's enormous milestones.
Kohli kicked off the new phase of his ODI career through the Australia tour following his retirements from the other two formats. He departed for 0 in the first two matches of the three-match series against Australia before entertaining the Sydney crowd with a 74-run unbeaten knock. He then looked outstanding during the home series against South Africa.
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Against the Proteas, Virat smashed a couple of centuries and a fifty for his 302 runs in the three-match series. He was named the Player of the Series before hitting another half-century in the opening game against the Blackcaps. Notably, the 37-year-old is back on top of the batting rankings for the first time since July 2021. He had gained the top ranking for the first time in October 2013, and it is his 11th different spell in the top spot. As of today, he has been top for a total of 825 days – the 10th most by any player, and the most by any Indian.
Check the latest ICC ODI Rankings:
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New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell jumped to the top spot as per the latest update after his fierce knock of 84 off 71 in the first ODI, claiming his highest rating with just one rating point behind Kohli. Rohit, on the other hand, scored 26 runs in the opening game of the series and following which, he was slipped to three. The former skipper has shown a lot of promise as both veteran batters aim to continue their magnificent form with their eyes already set on the 2027 ODI World Cup.