Kohli Rises to Second in ICC ODI Batting Rankings

Virat Kohli surged to second place in the International Cricket Council's men's one-day international batting rankings on December 10, 2025, narrowing the gap to just eight points behind teammate Rohit Sharma, who held on to the top spot after India's recent 2-1 series victory over South Africa.

Kohli's climb came on the back of a dominant performance in the three-match ODI series played across Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam. The 37-year-old right-hander scored 302 runs at an average of 151 and a strike rate of 117.05, including centuries of 135 off 120 balls in the opener and 102 off 93 in the second game, followed by an unbeaten 65 off 45 in the decisive third match. His contributions earned him the Player of the Series award and propelled him up two positions, displacing New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell to third.

Rohit Sharma, India's limited-overs captain, maintained his lead with 781 rating points to Kohli's 773. The 38-year-old opener accumulated 146 runs in the series, with scores of 57, 14, and 75, building on his earlier form that saw him claim the top ranking during India's ODI series against Australia. Both players have retired from Test and T20I cricket, shifting...