Virat Kohli has again made his mark in the world of international cricket by reaching the number 1 position in the ICC ODI Rankings, thereby overtaking fellow Indian opener Rohit Sharma.
This new development by the ICC came after Kohli scored an innings-winning 93 runs in 91 deliveries against New Zealand in the first ODI match at Vadodara, where India managed to chase down the 300+ total. This is the 11th time that Kohli has topped the ICC ODI rankings, which is a testament to his consistency at the international stage.
Record-Breaking Milestone for Virat Kohli
Kohli first reached the Number 1 spot way back in October 2013 and has now topped for a total of 825 days, which is an overall record by an Indian batsman in ODIs, putting him at 10th in this list, headed by West Indies great Vivian Richards, who topped for a staggering 2,306 days.
Interestingly, Virat Kohli is playing only the ODI format of the game internationally at the moment, and his performances are still not slowing down.
Red-Hot ODI Form Powers Kohli to the Top
Prior to his Match-winning knock in Vadodara, Kohli had scored 74, 135, 102, and 65 in his last four ODI innings respectively, and this stint at the top had a major say in his increased rating points and his subsequent leap above Rohit Sharma in the ICC ODI Rankings.
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Rohit Sharma Slips, Daryl Mitchell Moves Up
Rohit Sharma not only let go of the top spot but also moved down by two spots to number 3 after scoring only 26 runs in the first ODI against New Zealand.
A new opening partner in Daryl Mitchell seized the moment, moving to No. 2 after his swift 84 off 71 deliveries. The top of the table is still extraordinarily close:
Virat Kohli – 785 points
Daryl Mitchell – 784 points
Rohit Sharma – 775 points
A single standout innings could yet reshuffle the order.
KL Rahul Makes Progress in ICC ODI Rankings
Also, Indian wicket-keeper batsman KL Rahul got a slight improvement inthe rankings as he shifted from 12th position to 11th spot due to his unbeaten 29 off 21 deliveries at Vadodara.
Travis Head, Steven Smith Move Up In ICC Test Rankings Following Ashes Series Win
After Australia’s comprehensive 4-1 Ashes series win, several Australian players gained big in the ICC Test Rankings.
- Travis Head, with 629 runs in the leading charts, rose to No. 3
- Steven Smith, after a superb 138 in the final Test at the SCG, did rise to No. 4
Currently, top two places in the run getters’ list are held by England’s Joe Root with 400 runs and Harry Brook with 358 runs.
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Jacob Bethell and Mitchell Starc Register Major Gains
The career-defining 154 in the second innings at the SCG by England’s Jacob Bethell has shot him up a massive 25 places to No.52 in the Test Batting Rankings.
As far as bowling goes, Australia’s Mitchell Starc stood tall among his contemporaries in the series. His 31 wickets and Player-of-the-Series award meant that he leapt six places to No. 3 in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings. Meanwhile, Scott Boland remained unchanged at No.7 as he picked up 20 wickets in the series.
Updates from ICC Men’s T20I Rankings
With the shortest format, Wanindu Hasaranga was impressive with five wickets against Pakistan at home, which moved his rankings three positions up to No. 2 among T20 internationals.
As batters go, Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan has moved up the rankings from sixth to fifth after he scored a half-century in the first match of the series.
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