Virat Kohli Moves to No. 5 in ICC ODI Batting Rankings

After winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, many cricket fans feel that the ‘Men in Blue’ are favorites to win the 2025 Champions Trophy. And judging by the start India have made in the tournament; few would bet against them winning the whole thing. While players like Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami have delivered standout performances, the star of the show is Virat Kohli.

At 36, Virat Kohli is showing no signs of slowing down. With Pakistan handing India a meager target of 241 runs, Virat Kohli took centerstage and scored a brilliant century in 111 balls to lead the ‘Men in Blue’ to a six-wicket win. With this knock, Kohli is now the fourth highest run-getter in the tournament. Moreover, his ton also helped him climb the ODI batsmen rankings. The 36-year-old batter leapfrogged New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell – who has missed New Zealand’s first two games of the tournament due to an injury – into the 5th spot.  

With 743 points, Virat Kohli has broken into the Top-5 and is just six points shy of fourth-ranked Henrich Klassen. If Kohli maintains his form, there’s every chance that he can end the tournament as one of the three best ranked batsmen in ODIs. However, Kohli isn’t the only mover in the batting rankings. Earlier, Shubman Gill – who has scored 147 runs in the Champions Trophy so far – overtook Pakistan’s Babar Azam to become the No. 1 ranked ODI batsman. Rohit Sharma sits third, while Shreyas Iyer has climbed to ninth with 679 points. No other team has more than one player in the top ten. India has four. Therefore, India’s batting lineup isn’t just strong – it’s a force to be reckoned with. 

Also Read: Virat Kohli Becomes Only the 2nd Indian to Score ODI Hundreds in 10 Countries