Virat Kohli is once again in the spotlight after a brilliant performance against South Africa helped him climb to second place in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings. The former Indian captain was in stunning form throughout the three-match series, scoring 302 runs at a massive average of 151. His run included two back-to-back centuries in the opening matches and an unbeaten 65 in the final ODI at Visakhapatnam. This strong show pushed Kohli up by two places, moving him just one step away from the No.1 spot.
Kohli has not held the top ODI ranking since April 2021, when Pakistan’s Babar Azam went past him. Now, after more than three years, he is closer than ever to reclaiming that position. Only his teammate and current Indian captain Rohit Sharma stands in his way. Rohit continues to lead the ODI batting rankings with 781 rating points. Kohli is just eight points behind, making the race for the top spot extremely tight and exciting.
Rohit also had a decent series against South Africa, scoring 146 runs at an average of 48.67. With India set to host New Zealand for a three-match ODI series starting in January, all eyes will be on Rohit and Kohli as both look to either defend or grab the No.1 ranking. It is shaping up to be a big contest between two of India’s biggest cricket stars.
India’s strong performance was not limited to Kohli and Rohit. KL Rahul, who led the team as stand-in captain, moved up two places to 12th in the ODI batting rankings after scoring 60 and an unbeaten 66. In the bowling department, Kuldeep Yadav jumped three spots to reach third place, finishing the series as the highest wicket-taker with nine wickets.
Even though South Africa lost the series 2-1, some of their players also saw improvement in the rankings. Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma made gains, while young talent Dewald Brevis entered the T20I top 10 batters list.
Overall, the latest ICC rankings underline India’s growing dominance across formats. With Kohli closing in on the No.1 ODI spot and several Indian players moving up the charts, fans can expect many exciting battles in the months ahead.