As the 2025 cricketing calendar draws to a close, the final ICC rankings provide a definitive look at the players who have mastered the game’s three distinct formats. These rankings act as a royal decree, separating the consistent performers from the temporary flashes in the pan. This year has been particularly notable for the resurgence of several veteran titans alongside the meteoric rise of young prospects who have disrupted the long-standing status quo.
In the Test arena, the story of the year has been the absolute dominance of England’s Joe Root. He finishes the year as the world’s leading batsman, practically unchallenged at the summit. However, the real excitement for English fans lies in the ascent of Harry Brook, who has vaulted three positions to secure the second spot, making it an all-English top two. While the legendary trio of Kane Williamson, Travis Head, and Steve Smith occupy the remaining slots in the top five, they are currently playing catch-up to the prolific English pair. On the bowling side, Jasprit Bumrah remains the undisputed king of the red ball, though Mitchell Starc and Pakistan’s Noman Ali have closed the gap significantly as the year ends.
The ODI rankings reflect a period of sustained Indian excellence in the batting department. Rohit Sharma concludes 2025 at the top of the pile, but the “King” Virat Kohli has moved into second place, signaling his intent to reclaim the throne in the new year. This batting power is contrasted by the brilliance of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who remains the premier ODI bowler globally.
Final ICC Player Rankings 2025
| Format | Category | Leading Player | Country |
| Test | Batting | Joe Root | England |
| Test | Bowling | Jasprit Bumrah | India |
| Test | All-Rounder | Ravindra Jadeja | India |
| ODI | Batting | Rohit Sharma | India |
| ODI | Bowling | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan |
| T20I | Batting | Abhishek Sharma | India |
| T20I | Bowling | Varun Chakravarthy | India |
In the T20I circuit, a new generation has officially taken over. Abhishek Sharma has ended the year as the world’s most feared T20 batsman, pushing Phil Salt into second place. The bowling charts for the shortest format are led by Varun Chakravarthy, whose mystery spin has kept him at the top for several weeks. Rounding out the year, the all-rounder rankings see Ravindra Jadeja maintaining his iron grip on the Test category, while Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and Pakistan’s Saim Ayub have claimed the top honours in ODIs and T20Is, respectively.
