Virat Kohli reclaims No.1 spot in ODI rankings after 4 long years

Virat Kohli’s love affair with one-day cricket reached another historic milestone as the Indian great reclaimed the No.1 position in the ICC men’s ODI batting rankings, achieving the feat for the first time since 2021. Kohli’s latest ascent underlined his enduring class and unmatched consistency in the format he continues to dominate.

Match-Winning Knock in Vadodara

Kohli replaced Rohit Sharma at the summit following a commanding 93 off 91 balls in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday. His innings anchored India’s successful chase of New Zealand’s 300 and earned him the Player-of-the-Match award, setting the tone for the three-match series.

A Familiar Peak for Kohli

This is the 11th time Kohli has risen to the top of the ODI batting rankings. He first achieved the No.1 spot in October 2013 and has now spent a total of 825 days at the summit, the most by any Indian batter. Overall, Kohli stands tenth on the all-time list, led by West Indies legend Vivian Richards, who held the position for 2,306 days.

Rankings Shake-Up

Kohli’s recent form has been exceptional, with scores of 74*, 135, 102 and 65* preceding his Vadodara masterclass. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, slipped two places to No.3 after managing 26 in the match. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell moved up to No.2 after his brisk 84, with just a single point separating him from Kohli. KL Rahul climbed to No.11, while Devon Conway rose to 29th.

Bowlers on the Move

Among bowlers, Mohammed Siraj climbed to 15th, Kyle Jamieson surged to joint 69th after a career-best spell, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz held steady.

A Champion’s Statement

Kohli’s return to the top is more than a ranking update, it is a reminder that in ODI cricket, the standard still bears his name.