- Kohli moves to No. 2 in ODIs after dominant run against South Africa
- Pathum Nissanka climbs to No. 3 in T20Is, continuing Sri Lanka’s rise
- Starc storms to No. 3 in Test bowling after Ashes heroics
Virat Kohli has surged to No. 2 in the ICC ODI batting rankings, narrowing the gap on India captain Rohit Sharma after a stunning Player-of-the-Series display against South Africa. Kohli amassed 302 runs at an average of 151, including two clinical hundreds, as India sealed the ODI series 2-1.
Rohit retains the top spot with 781 rating points, holding off Kohli’s ascent for now, but the two Indian stalwarts remain locked in a tight race at the summit. India enjoyed further boosts as KL Rahul climbed to No. 12 among ODI batters and Kuldeep Yadav jumped to No. 3 in the bowling charts after topping the wickets tally with nine strikes.
From a Sri Lankan perspective, the standout news came in the T20I rankings, where Pathum Nissanka continued his remarkable rise, moving up to No. 3 in the world. The in-form opener has been one of Sri Lanka’s most consistent performers in the format, and his climb underscores the island’s growing influence in global T20 cricket.
Elsewhere, South Africa’s Dewald Brevis broke into the T20I top ten, while Australia’s Mitchell Starc produced the most eye-catching jump of the week. Starc, currently dominating the Ashes with 18 wickets at 14, climbed three places to reach No. 3 among Test bowlers, registering a career-high 852 points after back-to-back Player-of-the-Match efforts.
In the Test batting rankings, Joe Root remains world No. 1 following his unbeaten 138 in Brisbane. Kane Williamson and Steven Smith moved up to No. 2 and No. 3 respectively after strong outings against West Indies and England.
With Sri Lanka gearing up for a busy 2025 calendar, Nissanka’s surge offers a timely lift and a reminder that the Lions remain firmly in the global conversation as rankings continue to shift.
