The competition in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings further becomes more intriguing with Team India’s batting stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bagging the top two spots.

As per the rankings updated on December 10 (Wednesday), Kohli surged upwards as the second-best ODI batter after the former skipper Rohit, who currently leads the charts.

To explain in other words, Kohli is just 8 points short of claiming Rohit’s spot at the top of the rankings.

New Zealand’s all-rounder Daryl Mitchell and Afghanistan batter Ibrahim Zadran rank in the third and fourth positions, respectively.

Shubman Gill, on the other hand, slipped to fifth on the list with 723 points after missing out on the South African ODI series due to injury.

Kohli’s Journey to No.2 Spot in ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings

Virat Kohli showed his best form in the recently completed 3-match ODI series against South Africa, which helped him rank at the No.2 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings. The right-handed batter concluded as the top-run scorer in the series, having scored 302 runs in 3 innings at an 150+ average.

A few months after his test cricket retirement, Kohli returned to international cricket during the Australian tour, where he registered back-to-back ducks. However, in the third ODI, he concluded the series with a stunning half-century and maintained a match-winning double-century partnership alongside Rohit Sharma in a 237-run chase.

Virat went on to turn back the clock to his vintage days in the South African ODI series by scoring 2 centuries and a half-century to his name. In the opening clash, Kohli accomplished his 52nd ODI century with his 120-ball 135-run knock. Subsequently, he recorded his next ODI ton in Raipur.

The ace batter concluded the series in style by scoring an unbeaten 65-run knock, which wrapped up India’s chase comfortably to seal the series with a 2-1 win.

Virat’s consistency with the bat throughout the series against South Africa made him earn the honor of the world’s second-best ODI batter.

Rohit’s Stunning Comeback to Become the No.1 ODI Batter

While Kohli rose to the No.2 spot, Rohit Sharma successfully retained his top spot, having scored two fifties in the South African ODI series at home.

After a several-month gap in international cricket since the IPL 2025, Hitman had the most memorable series in his ODI career on Australian soil. He was the leading run-scorer of the 3-match ODI series against Australia, having compiled 202 runs in 3 innings at an 100+ average.

A few days after he was honored with the Player of the Series award, Rohit rose above the ranks to become the No.1 ODI batter in ICC men’s OD rankings.

The 38-year-old continued with his momentum against South Africa, where he compiled 146 runs across 3 matches of the series to lead the prestigious charts.

Rohit and Kohli’s Former Teammate Reveals Big Statement

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who earlier played under Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s captaincy, commented on the duo of veterans’ batting performance:

“See! The most laughable factor is that the experienced batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have to prove themselves to secure a spot in the squad. What need do they have to prove their worth, having played so many cricket matches in their long career?

As a cricketer, we do face all the ups and downs as well as the good and bad.

In reality, Rohit worked so hard on his fitness to make a rousing comeback, so credit to him. Another fact is that Virat, too, has been batting well as usual. This shows the kind of effort both the top batters have invested in.

Moreover, they have set an example for the upcoming generation of cricketers and don’t require proving anything to the world. Those two players have shown how to make big sacrifices and adhere to their commitments towards the game to ensure longevity in their careers. Certainly, no player stands above the game,” Ashwin said, speaking on his YouTube channel. 

The 39-year-old’s statement seemed to be a counterattacking response to those critics who questioned Rohit and Kohli’s batting abilities due to their age.

Overall List: Top 10 Players in ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings as of December 2025

Here are the top 10 cricketers across different full-member nations who are leading the charts in ICC men’s ODI rankings: