In the latest ICC rankings update for men’s ODI cricket, Virat Kohli has edged closer to captain Shubman Gill, securing the second spot just behind him. This shift came after Kohli delivered an impressive performance, slamming his 55th century—an undefeated 139 off 88 balls embellished with nine sixes—steering India to an eight-wicket triumph over the West Indies in their series opener.
Kohli’s current rating is 796, slightly trailing behind Gill, who leads with 816. Gill’s ranking ascent was bolstered by his own achievement of a tenth ODI century in the same match. Following the pair, Daryl Mitchell stands third with 794, while Rohit Sharma holds the fourth spot with 719.
September 27 was a remarkable day, seeing six centuries scored in men’s ODIs—a new record. Among those reaching the three-figure mark were Temba Bavuma, David Miller, Justin Greaves, and Tom Banton, along with Kohli and Gill.
The action didn’t stop there. Before that flurry of centuries, Sri Lanka managed to level their three-match ODI series against England, eventually losing 2-1. Kusal Mendis emerged as a key performer, boosting his ranking to a career-best seventh after scoring 121 off 100 balls, allowing him to leap three places.
England’s representation within the top ten consists solely of Joe Root, who is ninth. Captain Harry Brook improved his standing, moving to 11th following a solid 77 in the final ODI, which England won decisively by 223 runs.
Elsewhere, Bavuma and Miller made significant strides in the rankings, moving to 32nd and 41st positions respectively, while Banton jumped an astonishing 333 places to reach 83rd after only ten ODI appearances.
Turning to the bowlers, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has impressively climbed to third after picking up 2 for 54 and 4 for 20 against Australia. Kuldeep Yadav also made a notable comeback, claiming a crucial 4 for 40, propelling him to fifth place. Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood, having taken four wickets in the first two ODIs, has re-entered the top ten, advancing five spots to stand at tenth.
This dynamic reshuffling in the rankings reflects the ongoing fierce competition and individual brilliance on display in the international cricket arena. As the series progress, the anticipation for upcoming performances remains high among cricket enthusiasts.
