Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli has surged to the No. 2 position in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings, narrowing the gap on teammate and current No. 1 Rohit Sharma. Kohli, who last held the top ODI ranking in April 2021 before being overtaken by Pakistan’s Babar Azam, has reignited his push for the crown with standout performances in the three-match ODI series against South Africa. His 302 runs earned him the Player of the Series award and propelled him two places up the rankings.

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, continues to lead the ODI charts after scoring 146 runs in the South Africa series. With only eight rating points separating the two Indian stalwarts, the battle for the No. 1 ODI batter ranking has become one of the most thrilling storylines of the season. Rohit’s consistency has kept him at the top, but Kohli’s unbeaten 65 in the Visakhapatnam finale has intensified the competition heading into India’s next limited-overs assignments.

Shubman Gill retained his position at No. 5 in the ODI rankings despite missing the series, while stand-in captain KL Rahul climbed two spots to 12th. Among bowlers, India’s left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav jumped three places to third after another impactful series. Several South African players, including Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Temba Bavuma, also made significant moves upward following their efforts in the ODI lineup.

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The latest T20I rankings brought more good news for India, with Axar Patel rising to 13th, Arshdeep Singh breaking into the top 20, and Jasprit Bumrah climbing six places to 25th. These improvements come on the back of India’s dominant 101-run victory in Cuttack, showcasing the team’s growing depth in the shortest format. Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to be India’s highest-ranked Test batter at No. 8, with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant also inching up the ladder.

In Test cricket, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has made a remarkable leap to No. 3 following back-to-back Player of the Match displays in the Ashes, taking 18 wickets in just two Tests. His rise pushes the Indian trio of Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav to 12th, 13th, and 14th respectively. Meanwhile, England’s Harry Brook slips to fourth among Test batters as Kane Williamson and Steve Smith move up behind Joe Root, who retains the top spot.

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