Kohli And Rohit Surge, Indians Dominate The Chart

Virat Kohli edges closer to reclaiming the top spot in the ICC ODI Rankings for Men’s Batters following an exceptional World Cup campaign on home turf. Leading the charge alongside Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma also surges up the rankings, placing three Indian batters in the top 5 of the 50-over format.

Kohli solidified his position at No. 3 in the updated ODI Rankings released on Wednesday, November 22, courtesy of his century in the World Cup semi-final and a crucial fifty in the final. His recent performances have strengthened his ratings, narrowing the gap with the top two batters, Shubman Gill and former Pakistan captain Babar Azam.

Rohit Sharma made a significant leap to No. 4, exchanging places with South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, who faced a setback in the World Cup semi-final against Australia. Shubman Gill leads the rankings with 826 rating points, closely followed by Babar Azam at 824 points. Kohli trails not too far behind at 791 points, while Rohit stands at 769 points as the World Cup concluded.

Kohli had previously held the top ranking for an impressive 1258 consecutive days, dominating for nearly four years from 2017 to 2021. Babar mostly occupied the premier position until Gill claimed the top spot during the World Cup.

TOP 5 ICC ODI BATTING RANKINGS:
1. Shubman Gill – 826 rating points
2. Babar Azam – 824 rating points
3. Virat Kohli – 791 rating points
4. Rohit Sharma – 769 rating points
5. Quinton de Kock – 760 rating points

Meanwhile, in the bowling department, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami maintained their positions in the top 10 after the recent update. Siraj slipped to No. 3 with 699 points, just four points shy of Australia’s Josh Hazlewood. South African spinner Keshav Maharaj retained his top spot with 741 rating points. Shami also dropped to No. 10 in the latest rankings. Shami’s exceptional World Cup performance saw him claim 24 wickets in only 7 matches, including 3 five-wicket hauls. He earned the distinction of being the fastest bowler to reach 50 ODI World Cup wickets. 

Despite individual brilliance, India fell short in the final showdown. Australia claimed victory over India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, securing a six-wicket win after the Men in Blue set a target of 240 runs in their allotted 50 overs. This win marked Australia’s sixth World Cup title triumph.