Virat Kohli Reclaims No. 1 Spot in ICC ODI Batting Rankings After Five Years
Mumbai: Indian star batter Virat Kohli has made a remarkable return to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings, reclaiming the No. 1 position on Wednesday after nearly five years, following a sustained run of outstanding form.
Kohli’s return to the summit was confirmed in the latest ICC rankings update released ahead of the second ODI of the ongoing India–New Zealand series at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
The 37-year-old overtook his teammate Rohit Sharma to claim the top spot in the 50-over format for the first time since April 2, 2021. Kohli gained 12 rating points to move to 785, while Rohit lost six points and slipped from 781 to 775.
Kohli has regained number one spot in ODIs and cricket is a beautiful sport again
pic.twitter.com/lU7SnGqO8h— Megha (@kyayaarmegha) January 14, 2026
New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell made a significant leap to second place, achieving a career-best ranking with 784 points—just one point behind Kohli.
Kohli had dominated the ODI batting rankings for four consecutive years starting in 2017 before being overtaken by Pakistan’s Babar Azam in early 2021. Babar then held the No. 1 position for the next four calendar years, after which Rohit Sharma rose to the top in 2025.
However, Kohli steadily closed the gap with consistent performances, beginning with the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October 2025. Since then, he has scored 50 or more in seven consecutive ODI innings, a record in Indian List A cricket.
Five of those scores came while representing India, while the streak also includes a century and a half-century for Delhi in last month’s Vijay Hazare Trophy. After the Australia tour, Kohli played a pivotal role in India’s 2–1 ODI series win against South Africa, scoring two consecutive centuries and an unbeaten half-century.
Here is Latest ODI Rankings
𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗹𝗶 has once again become the New No.1 ODI batter. The King reclaims his throne 👑 pic.twitter.com/SfRoUgGP2d
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) January 14, 2026
He followed that up with a match-winning 93 in the first ODI at Vadodara, equaling another Indian record for consecutive 50-plus scores. Kohli has previously achieved five consecutive 50-plus scores on four occasions. Legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane have also accomplished this feat.
Another big innings in Rajkot could see Kohli move clear at the top of this elite list. He also holds the Indian record for finishing most calendar years—2017 to 2020—at No. 1 in the ODI batting rankings.
Globally, only Brian Lara, Viv Richards, and Greg Chappell have ended five calendar years at the top of the ODI batting rankings.
Meanwhile, Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza climbed 16 places to 19th in the T20I bowling rankings after taking three wickets in the first T20 against Sri Lanka. In batting rankings, Sahibzada Farhan moved up one spot to fifth, while captain Salman Ali Agha jumped 13 places to reach 41st.
In the all-rounders’ rankings, Pakistan’s Saim Ayub slipped one position, allowing Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza to reclaim the top spot in the latest ICC update.
