India’s two stalwarts reigned as No 1 and No 2 in the latest ICC ODI batters’ rankings as Rohit Sharma retained the top spot while Virat Kohli climbed up to No 2 after both stars’ recent performances against South Africa in the ODI series which India won 2-1.
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Kohli who was adjudged Player of the Series for his 302 runs across the three matches, improved two places to go second overall behind teammate Rohit. Rohit amassed 146 runs across the series to hold on to his spot at the top of the rankings, with Kohli closing to within eight rating points on the back of his unbeaten innings of 65 not out in the series finale in Visakhapatnam.
Kohli hasn’t been the top ranked ODI batter since he conceded his position to Pakistan’s Babar Azam in 2021.
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Meanwhile, India ODI skipper Shubman Gill retained his fifth spot despite missing the three-match series while stand-in skipper KL Rahul rose two places to 12th overall after making two fifties in the rubber. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved up three spots to third in the bowlers’ chart.
South Africa trio of Quinton de Kock (up three rungs to 13th), Aiden Markram (up four places to 25th) and Temba Bavuma (up three spots to 37th) also made gains on the rankings for ODI batters.
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In the T20I rankings, the trio of Axar Patel (up two spots to 13th), Arshdeep Singh (up three places to 20th) and Jasprit Bumrah (up six rungs to 25th) made gains, following their comprehensive 101-run victory in Cuttack. All of them had a good outing in the first T20I, taking two wickets apiece as India bowled out the Proteas for 74, their lowest-ever total in the shortest format.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who recently scored his maiden ODI hundred against SA in Visakhapatnam, remained the top ranked Indian batter in the Test rankings at number eight while Gill and Rishabh Pant have moved a step each to 11th and 13th respectively. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has made a big jump on the latest rankings for Test bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah.
The left-armer moved up three spots to third overall on the back of consecutive Player of the Match performances during the first two Ashes Tests against England. Starc has 18 wickets from the two contests and finds himself moving to a new career-high rating and a best-ever ranking of third as a result. The Indian trio of Mohammad Siraj (12th), Ravindra Jadeja (13th) and Kuldeep (14th) have all climbed up a spot.
(With agency inputs)
