Indian cricket sensation, Kohli, is inching closer to the top spot in the One Day International (ODI) rankings, thanks to his impressive performance in the recent ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The right-handed batsman scored a tournament-high 765 runs, catapulting him to third place in the latest rankings, just 35 rating points behind teammate Shubman Gill.
Shubman Gill Maintains Slim Lead
Despite stiff competition, Gill (826 rating points) clings to the top spot in the batter rankings. Pakistan’s Babar Azam (824) is hot on his heels in second place. However, Kohli (791) and India’s captain Rohit Sharma (769 rating points, up one spot to fourth) are within striking distance, thanks to their stellar World Cup performances.
Kohli and Sharma’s Record-Breaking World Cup Performance
Kohli’s World Cup performance was nothing short of spectacular, reaching triple figures three times and breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries. Sharma also had a standout tournament, scoring 597 runs. The pair finished as the tournament’s top two run scorers.
Opportunity Knocks for Kohli and Sharma
With Gill and Babar scoring a modest 354 and 320 runs respectively, and Pakistan failing to reach the knockout stages, the door was left wide open for Kohli and Sharma to make their mark on the top ranking.
Kohli’s Previous Reign at the Top
Kohli is no stranger to the top spot, having held the No.1 ranking for an impressive 1258 consecutive days between 2017 and 2021. Babar has also spent a significant amount of time in the top spot in recent years, until Gill claimed the title during the World Cup.
Changes in the ODI Batter Rankings
The rise of Kohli and Sharma has seen South Africa’s Quinton de Kock drop two spots to fifth, while New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell climbed five spots to sixth. The most notable change, however, is Australia’s Travis Head, who leapt an astonishing 28 places to 15th after his outstanding World Cup performance.
ODI Bowler Rankings Update
South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj continues to lead the ODI bowler rankings, with several Australian players making significant strides following their successful World Cup campaign. Josh Hazlewood rose four places to second, Mitchell Starc jumped eight spots to 12th, and Pat Cummins climbed seven places to 27th. India’s Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah remain in the top 10, while Kuldeep Yadav drops to sixth.
ODI All-Rounders Rankings Remain Largely Unchanged
The top 10 ODI all-rounders rankings saw little change following the World Cup, with Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan maintaining a comfortable lead. New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner dropped two spots to seventh, while Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz rose two places to ninth.