Virat Kohli Back on Top of ICC Men’s ODI Batters’ Rankings

India’s star batter Virat Kohli has returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batters’ Rankings following his impressive 93-run innings in the opening game of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday.

Kohli now occupies the top spot with 785 rating points, edging past New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell, who is second with 784 points. This marks Kohli’s first return to the summit of the ODI rankings since July 2021. He initially claimed the top spot in October 2013, and this latest update represents his 11th separate stint as the world’s highest-ranked ODI batter. Overall, Kohli has spent a cumulative 825 days at the top,  the highest by any Indian and the 10th most by any player globally.

The 35-year-old has been in outstanding form in the 50-over format since India’s ODI series in Australia in October last year. He has scored 50 or more in each of his last seven ODI innings, with scores including 93, 77, 131, 65, 102, 135 and 74.

In the 2025 calendar year, Kohli featured in 13 ODIs, amassing 651 runs at an average of 65.10 to finish as India’s leading run-scorer. He also delivered a strong performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50, which included a century and a half-century.

Kohli’s 93-run knock in the second ODI against New Zealand earned him the Player of the Match award as India successfully chased down a target of 301. The innings further enhanced his remarkable record in successful ODI run chases of 300 or more, where he has now accumulated 1,091 runs at an average of 121.22, with a strike rate of 125.25, including seven centuries and two half-centuries.

During the same innings, Kohli also became the fastest cricketer to reach 28,000 international runs across formats. He currently has 28,068 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, making him the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history, behind Sachin Tendulkar.

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