Virat Kohli Reclaims Top Spot in ICC ODI Rankings After Stellar Performance

Kohli's Remarkable Comeback

Virat Kohli's exceptional form in One Day Internationals (ODIs) has propelled him back to the number one position in the ICC batting rankings for the first time since July 2021. During the first match of the ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara, Kohli played a blistering innings, scoring 93 runs off 91 balls, which laid the foundation for India's victory and allowed him to surpass his teammate Rohit Sharma in the rankings.

A Historic Achievement

This marks the first occasion since July 2021 that the cricketing icon has achieved the top rank in ODIs. Kohli first reached this pinnacle in October 2013, and according to the ICC's official website, this is now his 11th tenure at the top. He has spent a total of 825 days at number one, which is the 10th highest overall and the most by any Indian player. Since the last ODI match against Australia in October of the previous year, Kohli has been in remarkable form, scoring over fifty runs in all of his last seven 50-over matches. His scores in these innings are as follows: 93, 77 (Vijay Hazare Trophy), 131 (Vijay Hazare Trophy), 65, 102, 135, and 74.

Consistent Performance

In 2025, Kohli emerged as India's leading run-scorer, amassing 651 runs at an impressive average of 65.10 across 13 ODIs. This achievement marks the 11th time he has topped the ICC Men's ODI batting rankings. His performance in this format has been nothing short of outstanding. Following a challenging period where he was dismissed for a duck in two consecutive matches against Australia after the Champions Trophy last year, Kohli bounced back with a crucial 74 runs in Sydney, helping India secure a consolation win in the ODI series. Upon returning to home ground, he continued his stellar performance with scores of 135, 102, and an unbeaten 65 against South Africa in the series held in November-December.