Mitchell shines with centuries to surpass Indian batting legend
In a dramatic shift at the top of the cricketing world, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has reclaimed the number one spot in the latestICC ODI Rankings. This change comes just one week after Indian batting icon Virat Kohli had returned to the throne for the first time since 2021.
Mitchell’s rise to the pinnacle follows a spectacular performance during New Zealand's historic ODI series victory in India. The Kiwi batter was in sublime form, smashing back-to-back centuries that proved decisive. He was named the 'Player of the Series' for amassing a massive 352 runs across three matches. These match-winning knocks were enough to push him past Kohli, who now sits in the second spot.
Kohli, despite losing the top rank, displayed excellent form throughout the series. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 240 runs. His campaign included a solid 93 in the opener and a fighting 124 off 108 balls in Indore during a challenging chase. While these innings reminded fans of his dominance between 2016 and 2019, they fell just short of securing India a series win or keeping him at the number one position for longer.
The updated points table shows Mitchell leading with 845 rating points, holding a significant lead over Kohli, who is now at 795 points. With a heavy schedule of T20 cricket approaching, including the World Cup, the New Zealand batter is expected to hold onto the top ODI ranking for an extended period.
Other movements in the chart saw Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran rise to third place with 764 points, swapping places with Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who is now fourth with 757 points. Young sensation Shubman Gill remains steady at fifth despite scoring two half-centuries in the series.
Elsewhere in the rankings, Glenn Phillips made a massive leap of 16 spots to reach number 20 after a quickfire century in the series finale. Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai continues to lead the list of ODI all-rounders.
