Virat Kohli reclaims No1 spot in ICC ODI rankings, fans and family celebrate

RAJPOT: Indian star batter Virat Kohli is back on top! The right-handed run machine has reclaimed the No1 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings, ending a wait of almost five years. The latest ICC update gives Kohli 785 rating points, just one ahead of New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, while former teammate Rohit Sharma drops to third with 775 points.

The announcement sparked joy among fans and even Kohli’s family. His elder brother Vikas and sister Bhawna shared heartfelt posts on Instagram celebrating the milestone. Kohli first rose to the top in 2013, and this is his 11th stint at number one, spending a total of 825 days at the summit—the most by any Indian and 10th overall globally.

Kohli’s return to the top comes after months of stellar batting form. Since October 2025, he has scored fifty-plus in seven consecutive 50-over matches, including twin centuries against South Africa, a half-century, and a 93-run knock in India’s first ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara, earning him Player of the Match. He also had a great run in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 218 runs in five matches with a century and a half-century.

Despite this, Kohli had a rare off-day in the second ODI in Rajkot, getting dismissed by young Kiwi pacer Kristian Clarke for 23 runs. Fans were quick to react, hilariously targeting the wrong Clarke—Michael Clarke—on social media. Meanwhile, KL Rahul rescued India with an unbeaten 112, keeping the match competitive.

On top of this, Kohli has overtaken Sachin Tendulkar to become the Indian batter with the most ODI runs against New Zealand, now at 1,751 runs, just behind Ricky Ponting, who leads the overall chart with 1,971 runs. If Kohli continues his form, he could soon claim the top spot in the all-time list against New Zealand.

The gap at the top is razor-thin. With just one point separating him from Daryl Mitchell, the No.1 ranking could change again quickly, depending on performances in upcoming matches.

At 37 years old, Kohli continues to prove why he is called the chase master. Fans can now look forward to seeing him carry this momentum into the rest of the ODI series against New Zealand and beyond, including the upcoming IPL 2026.