Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top position in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings following a masterful 93-run innings in India’s opening match against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday.
Kohli now leads the ODI batters’ list with 785 rating points, edging out New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, who has 784 points. This marks Kohli’s first return to the number one spot in ODIs since July 2021 and his 11th separate tenure at the summit, the ICC website noted.
First ascending to the top of the rankings in October 2013, Kohli has spent a total of 825 days as the world’s leading ODI batter, the highest for an Indian and the tenth-most overall.
The 34-year-old has been in prolific form since October last year, when India completed the ODI series in Australia. He has recorded seven consecutive 50-plus scores in 50-over matches, including 93, 77 and 131 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, followed by 65, 102, 135 and 74 in international fixtures.
Also read: Virat Kohli breaks record for most centuries in a single format
In 2025 alone, Kohli featured in 13 ODIs, amassing 651 runs at an average of 65.10, finishing as India’s leading run-scorer for the year. He also shone in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50, including a century and a half-century.
During India’s chase of 301 against New Zealand in the second ODI, Kohli’s 93 earned him the Player of the Match award, highlighting his consistent ability in high-pressure situations. With the knock, he has now accumulated 1,091 runs in 300-plus successful ODI chases, averaging 121.22 with a strike rate of 125.25, including seven hundreds and two fifties.
The innings also saw Kohli become the fastest player to reach 28,000 runs across formats in international cricket. He now has 28,068 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, making him the second-most prolific scorer behind Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli’s return to the top of the ICC ODI rankings reinforces his enduring mastery and resilience at the highest level of the game.
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