History repeats itself: Virat Kohli tops ICC ODI rankings after 4 years

Star India batter Virat Kohli has returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings for the first time since July 2021, reaffirming his status as one of the greatest to ever play the format. 

Kohli climbed back to No.1 after a composed, match-winning 93 off 91 balls against New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara, pushing past team-mate Rohit Sharma in the latest rankings update released on January 14.

This marks the 11th time Kohli has occupied the top spot in ODI cricket — a staggering achievement that underlines his longevity and hunger at the highest level.

His rise has been fuelled by a dream run with the bat in recent months, highlighted by scores of 135, 102 and an unbeaten 65 during India’s home series against South Africa, followed by a fluent 74 not out against Australia in Sydney.

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Kohli’s numbers in his last five innings tell the story of a batter in complete command. He has crossed the fifty-run mark in every outing, amassing 469 runs that include two centuries and three half-centuries.

This purple patch has lifted him to 785 rating points, nudging him ahead of Rohit Sharma, who now slips to third with 775 points.

The former India captain first reached the pinnacle of ODI rankings in October 2013 and has now spent a cumulative 825 days at No.1, the most by any Indian batter. On the all-time list, Kohli currently sits 10th, with West Indies legend Vivian Richards leading the chart after an unmatched 2,306 days at the top.

Adding further spice to the rankings battle, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has surged to second place following his strong showing against India. With just 10 rating points separating the top three batters, the race for ODI supremacy promises to be intense — but for now, it’s Kohli who reigns supreme.