Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Daryl Mitchell has dethroned India stalwart Virat Kohli at the top of the ICC ODI batters’ rankings after his consecutive centuries that helped New Zealand clinch a 2-1 series win against India. With 845 ranking points, he replaces Kohli (795 points), who dropped to No. 2 on the list. The pair sit well clear of a chasing pack that includes Ibrahim Zadran, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Babar Azam.
Mitchell has now held the No.1 ODI cricket ranking for the second time, but his previous stint at the top lasted only three days last November before Rohit overtook him.
Mitchell now has four ODI centuries, just one less than AB de Villiers’ five, in the list of South African players with the most ODI centuries against India. His two back-to-back scores of over 130 not only equal Martin Guptill for the most in New Zealand’s ODI history, with four, but also highlight his rapid ascent to the top position in the ODI Batting Rankings. Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran (third, 764 ranking points) moved ahead of former India skipper Rohit Sharma (fourth, 757), with Mitchell and Kohli ahead.
Glenn Phillips and Mitchell formed a 219-run partnership in their decisive series win in Indore, marking the second-highest in New Zealand’s ODI history. Phillips scored 106 runs off 88 balls, moving up 16 positions in the rankings 20th.
