Virat Kohli’s late-career renaissance gathered more momentum on Wednesday as the former India captain climbed to No. 2 in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings, closing in on teammate Rohit Sharma following a prolific one-day series against South Africa. Kohli’s rise—up two places—puts him just eight rating points behind Rohit and marks his closest push toward the top spot since being overtaken by Pakistan’s Babar Azam in April 2021.
The 37-year-old was at his vintage best throughout the three-match series, piling up 302 runs to comfortably finish as Player of the Series. After scoring consecutive centuries in Ranchi (135) and Guwahati (102), his unbeaten 65 in the Visakhapatnam finale not only capped off a flawless campaign but also tightened his grip on a top-two berth, underscoring a resurgence that has seen him string together centuries and high-impact innings with consistency reminiscent of his prime.
Rohit, meanwhile, maintained his position as the world’s No. 1 ODI batter after contributing 146 runs across the series. Though overshadowed by Kohli’s dominance, the Indian captain’s steady run at the top allowed him to preserve his ranking and ensure India continue to hold the top two positions in men’s ODI batting—a symbolic return to the era when the pair routinely dictated global rankings.
Shubman Gill, resting during the series, held firm at No. 5, reflecting the stability at the top of India’s ODI lineup. KL Rahul’s composed displays in his role as stand-in captain saw him climb two places to No. 12, continuing an upward trend that has defined his past 12 months in white-ball cricket.
On the bowling charts, India enjoyed further success. Kuldeep Yadav—one of the most consistent limited-overs bowlers of the year—jumped three spots to No. 3 among ODI bowlers. His control through the middle overs and knack for breaking partnerships proved invaluable against South Africa and reinforced his position as one of the world’s premier wrist-spinners.
South African batters also benefited from the competitive series. Quinton de Kock rose three places to No. 13, while Aiden Markram moved to 25th and skipper Temba Bavuma climbed to 37th, each rewarded for their sporadic but meaningful contributions.
The newly released T20I rankings brought more good news for India’s bowlers. All-rounder Axar Patel climbed to 13th among bowlers, Arshdeep Singh reached 20th, and Jasprit Bumrah jumped six places to 25th following India’s clinical 101-run win over South Africa in the opening T20I in Cuttack.
In the Test arena, India also strengthened their presence. Yashasvi Jaiswal remained India’s top-ranked Test batter at No. 8, while Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant moved to 11th and 13th, respectively, after consistent recent performances. Among Test bowlers, New Zealand’s Mitchell Starc made headlines with a leap to No. 3 after back-to-back Player of the Match outings in the Ashes, slotting in behind No. 1 Jasprit Bumrah. India’s Mohammed Siraj (12th), Ravindra Jadeja (13th) and Kuldeep Yadav (14th) each rose a place, further crowding the top end of the table with Indian names.
Kohli’s surge—more than three years after last topping the ODI chart—adds a compelling subplot ahead of a packed white-ball calendar in 2026, with India now boasting an unprecedented concentration of top-ranked talent across all formats.
