Virat Kohli’s awakening: Only 8 points behind in the fight to regain the top spot!
Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli is back to the form that has made him one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Playing a series against South Africa with all-out aggression and sheer class, Kohli has once again reminded the cricketing world that the ‘King’ is still fully awake. This unbeaten run of 302 runs in 3 matches has pushed him to the second spot in the ODI batting rankings. And his only obstacle there? Another leader of the Indian team, the captain himself – Rohit Sharma.
After losing the top spot in the ODI rankings to Pakistan’s Babar Azam in April 2021, Kohli is on the verge of reaching the top again after a long 20 months. According to the latest ICC rankings, he is just 8 rating points behind captain Rohit Sharma. According to analysts, this is the most exciting and closest battle for the top spot in the history of the ODI rankings in the last decade.
Behind Kohli-Rohit clash, collective Indian rise
While the battle for the top spot has grabbed all the attention, the overall Indian team performance in the rankings update has revealed a deeper truth: the immense depth and collective strength of the Indian team.
- KL Rahul has climbed two places in the batting rankings to now be at No. 12, adding to India’s reliability in the middle order.
- Spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s rise is even more impressive. He has jumped three places to reach No. 3 in the bowling rankings. This is indicative not only of his individual form but also of the formidable form of India’s spin attack.
- Even the losing South African players – Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma – have moved up in the rankings on the back of good performances, proving that the series was of a high standard.
Indian mark in T20s and Tests too
This success is not limited to ODIs. In the T20I format, after the 101-run defeat of South Africa in Cuttack, all-rounder Axar Patel (13th), pacer Arshdeep Singh (20th) and returning star Jasprit Bumrah (25th) all improved their rankings.
On the Test front, Mitchell Starc’s impressive performance in the Ashes series (18 wickets in the first two Tests) has taken him to a career-best third place in the bowling rankings. Also, the remarkable development of youngsters like New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra and West Indies’ Shai Hope is further sharpening the competitive image of international cricket.
A reflection of a strong team
The current rankings update is not just a story of a few individual feats; it is a reflection of a strong, deep and versatile cricket team. Virat Kohli’s return to the top, Rohit Sharma’s consistency, Kuldeep Yadav’s rise and the consistent improvement of others across formats – all of this points to a golden era for Indian cricket.
The upcoming series against New Zealand is therefore a stage for competition on many levels. Team victories, individual rankings and the fight to establish ourselves more firmly among the world’s best – none of it is something cricket lovers should miss. The ranking table is not just numbers, it is a clear message of the kind of thrill and fight that awaits us in world cricket in the coming months. Read more