Virat Kohli’s remarkable resurgence in one-day cricket reached a new high as he surged to No. 2 in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings, leaving him just eight points behind Rohit Sharma in the race for the top spot. His climb comes on the back of a sensational series against South Africa, where he amassed 302 runs and produced the kind of commanding performances that defined his peak years. At 37, Kohli appears to be rewriting expectations, delivering back-to-back centuries in Ranchi and Guwahati before sealing the series with an unbeaten 65 in Visakhapatnam. His Player of the Series effort not only elevated India but also reignited conversations about his longevity and consistency.
Rohit Sharma held firm at No. 1 after contributing 146 runs in the same series. While overshadowed by Kohli’s brilliance, the Indian captain’s steady flow of runs ensured that India continues to occupy the top two positions in the global ODI batting list—a throwback to a period when both batters routinely dominated world cricket. Shubman Gill, who sat out the series, remained comfortably placed at No. 5, reinforcing the depth and stability at the top of India’s white-ball order. KL Rahul’s measured performances as stand-in captain pushed him to No. 12, capping an impressive year of rebuilding and consistency.
India’s bowlers delivered similar momentum in the latest update. Kuldeep Yadav rose to No. 3 among ODI bowlers, a deserved reflection of his control and wicket-taking impact during the South Africa series. His ability to disrupt partnerships in the middle overs has become one of India’s most reliable assets. South African batters also made notable gains: Quinton de Kock climbed to No. 13, Aiden Markram moved to 25th, and Temba Bavuma rose to 37th after their intermittent but valuable contributions.
In T20Is, India continued to strengthen their presence. Axar Patel advanced to 13th in the bowling rankings, Arshdeep Singh moved to 20th, and Jasprit Bumrah surged six places to 25th following India’s dominant victory in the opening T20I in Cuttack. Bumrah’s rise adds to India’s growing influence across formats as he simultaneously maintains his hold on the top position in Test bowling.
The latest Test rankings further emphasized India’s multidimensional strength. Yashasvi Jaiswal remained the country’s highest-ranked Test batter at No. 8, while Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant climbed to 11th and 13th after a series of consistent outings. Among Test bowlers, Mitchell Starc grabbed attention with a push to No. 3 following two standout Ashes performances, though Jasprit Bumrah continued to lead the world. Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav each moved up a place, crowding the upper tier of Test bowling with Indian names.
Kohli’s latest surge—more than three years after he last ruled the ODI rankings—adds intensity to an already packed 2026 calendar. With India now fielding elite performers across formats, the battle for supremacy in world cricket is becoming increasingly defined by the strength and depth of its own players.
