India’s legendary batter Virat Kohli has stormed his way to the no.1 spot in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings. ICC unveiled the new update on January 14, 2026, and it saw Virat Kohli dethroning fellow ODI great Rohit Sharma to claim the top spot in the rankings.

This is the first time in five years that Virat Kohli has become the no.1 ranked ODI batter as the update was unveiled by the ICC shortly before India’s second match of the ongoing series against New Zealand at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.

Kohli, 37, reclaimed the top spot in the format for the first time since April 2, 2021, when he lost it.  

Kohli was dethroned by Pakistan's Babar Azam in early 2021, following a four-year reign at the top of the batting rankings in the 50-over format that began in 2017. Babar kept the top rank for the next four calendar seasons before Rohit took it in 2025.

Kohli increased his rating by 12 points to 785, while Rohit lost six points, dropping from 781 to 775. Daryll Mitchell, a New Zealand all-rounder, jumped to second position with a career-best ranking of 784, just one point behind Kohli.

Kohli began his ascent to the top with an outstanding scoring streak that began with the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October 2025. Kohli has since accumulated seven consecutive 50-plus innings in the format, tying the Indian List A record for the most such performances in a row.  

Five of them have represented India, while Delhi scored a century and fifty in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last month.

Following the Australia tour, Kohli scored two consecutive centuries and an unbeaten fifty in a 2-1 series victory over South Africa. He followed it up with a match-winning 93 in the first ODI in Vadodara, tying another Indian record for the most consecutive fifty-plus scores in the format.

Kohli continues to be in a purple patch with scores of 74*,135, 102, 65*, and 93 in his last five outings.

He had gained the top ranking for the first time in October 201,3, and it is his 11th different spell in the top spot. As of today, he has been at the top for a total of 825 days – the 10th most by any player, and the most by any Indian.

Kohli holds the Indian record for finishing most calendar years (4– 2017 to 2020) on top of the ODI batting rankings. Only Brian Lara (1993-97), Vivian Richards (1982, 1984-87), and Greg Chappell (1977-81) have finished five calendar years at the summit of the 50-overs rankings.

(ICC inputs)