India’s right-handed star, Rohit Sharma, has made history by reaching the No.1 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings for the very first time. The 38-year-old achieved this milestone following his masterful unbeaten century in the third and final ODI against Australia in Sydney, where he guided India to a commanding nine-wicket victory.
Sharma, alongside fellow stalwart Virat Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 74, dominated the Australian attack. Rohit struck 13 fours and three towering sixes to secure his 33rd ODI century, a performance that propelled him past Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and India teammate Shubman Gill in the rankings. The veteran has consistently remained within the top 10 for most of the last decade, but this is his first time claiming the pinnacle of the ODI batting charts.
Key Performances Impacting Rankings
| Player | Team | Ranking Movement | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | India | +2 to 1st | ODI Batter | Unbeaten century vs Australia |
| Virat Kohli | India | Maintains position | ODI Batter | 74* in Sydney ODI |
| Axar Patel | India | +6 to 31st (Bowler), +4 to 8th (All-rounder) | ODI | Strong bowling performance in Sydney |
| Mitchell Santner | New Zealand | +3 to 4th | ODI Bowler | Consistent spinner |
| Josh Hazlewood | Australia | +2 to 8th | ODI Bowler | Seam bowling gains |
| Harry Brook | England | +23 to 25th | ODI Batter | Improved form |
Sharma was not the only Indian player to benefit from the updated rankings. All-rounder Axar Patel climbed six places to 31st among ODI bowlers and moved up four spots to eighth in the all-rounder rankings following his contributions in Sydney. Other notable movements include New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner rising to fourth and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood climbing to eighth among ODI bowlers, while England’s Harry Brook made a remarkable jump of 23 places to 25th overall.
Test Rankings Update
South Africa’s emphatic eight-wicket win over Pakistan in Rawalpindi caused significant shifts in the Test rankings. Spinner Keshav Maharaj, named Player of the Match for taking nine wickets, jumped nine places to 13th among Test bowlers, achieving a career-high rating. Simon Harmer also rose 26 spots to 45th after claiming six wickets in the second innings. Batsmen Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi climbed to 15th and equal 47th respectively, while Kagiso Rabada improved to 11th among Test all-rounders.
T20I Rankings Movement
South Africa’s performance in the first T20I against Pakistan produced notable changes. Corbin Bosch rose 40 places to 53rd among T20I bowlers, while Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz advanced eight spots to sixth among all-rounders. Opener Saim Ayub climbed five places to 49th on the batter list, reflecting his consistent form.
Rohit Sharma’s historic ascent to the top of the ODI rankings caps a remarkable phase of individual brilliance, while the updates across formats highlight the impact of recent international series in shaping global cricket hierarchies.
