Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India batter Virat Kohli regained the No. 1 position in ODIs, dethroning his teammate Rohit Sharma, who slipped to the No. 3 spot in the latest ICC rankings, following India’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI. Kohli’s score of 93 off 91 balls helped the hosts complete the chase, bringing him closer to India legend Sachin Tendulkar and moving him into second place on the all-time men’s international run-scoring list. He has been in excellent form since the 50-over series in Australia, scoring 74 not out, 135, 102, 65 not out, and 93 in his last five matches.
The 37-year-old batting stalwart has returned to the top of the batting charts for the first time since July 2021, after his performance helped India chase down New Zealand’s 300-run target in Vadodara.
Kohli first reached the top ranking in October 2013, marking his 11th stint at the top. To date, he has held the position for a total of 825 days, making it the 10th longest overall and the longest for any Indian.
New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell moved up in the ODI rankings after scoring a powerful 84 off 71 in the first ODI, achieving his highest rating with only one point behind Kohli. The Black Caps player has been in impressive form, having held the No.1 spot, with three half-centuries in his last five ODIs and a century against the West Indies. Mitchell’s teammate Devon Conway moved up three spots to reach 29th position as he maintains his run-scoring at the top.
