Three Indian Batters Are Now Just Points Away from the No. 1 ODI Ranking

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-07-23

India's top three batters are making a serious push for the top spot in the ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings after a thrilling series in England. On July 22, 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) released its latest update, and the leaderboard is tighter than ever. Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma are all within striking distance of becoming the world's number one ranked ODI batter. The update came after a hard-fought three-match series against England. While India lost the series, individual performances from their stars were nothing short of spectacular. Now, three Indian players sit among the top four in the world, a rare and impressive feat. ### The Latest ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings Here's a look at the top six batters in the world right now: - Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) - 802 rating points - Shubman Gill (India) - 801 rating points - Virat Kohli (India) - 767 rating points - Rohit Sharma (India) - 758 rating points - Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) - 712 rating points - Joe Root (England) - 674 rating points ### Shubman Gill Just One Point Away from Top Spot Shubman Gill has reached a career-defining moment. He currently holds the second position with 801 rating points, just a single point behind New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell, who has 802. That's the smallest gap you'll see at the top of any global ranking. Gill earned this massive jump through incredible consistency during the tour of England. He scored a total of 188 runs across the three matches, which allowed him to close the gap on Mitchell almost entirely. Interestingly, Gill and Joe Root are the only two players featured in the ICC Top 10 batting rankings in both Tests and ODIs right now. That's a testament to Gill's versatility across formats. ### Rohit Sharma Makes History at Lord's The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, delivered one of the most memorable innings of his career at the "Home of Cricket" - Lord's. He scored 138 runs off just 110 deliveries in the series finale on Saturday. With this performance, he became the first Indian batter in history to score an ODI century at the famous Lord's ground in London. Before this match, many doubted his future in international cricket. He was under huge pressure. But his century, a record-breaker, silenced the critics. During his stay at the crease, he hit 17 boundaries and five sixes while battling physical cramps. Here's what made it even more special: - He used a bat borrowed from teammate Shardul Thakur to complete the feat. - This innings helped him gain 14 rating points and move up to fourth place in the world rankings with 758 points. - He now has the second-most international centuries among visiting batters in England, behind only the legendary Don Bradman. ### Virat Kohli Maintains Strong Presence in Top Three Virat Kohli currently holds the third position in the ICC Men's ODI Batting Rankings with 767 rating points. While he didn't score a century in the England series, his steady contributions kept him firmly in the top tier. India now has an unprecedented level of dominance with three players challenging for the number one spot simultaneously. ### Joe Root and England Stars Gain Ground Joe Root emerged as the most successful batter for England during the series. He scored 249 runs without being dismissed once in three matches. That's a remarkable achievement. Consequently, he rose four places to reach eighth in the world rankings. Other England players like Ben Duckett also made progress. Duckett jumped 11 places to join the top 20 at joint 19th position. Meanwhile, young star Jacob Bethell moved up five spots to rank 64th. ### Bowling and All-Rounder Updates The rankings for bowlers and all-rounders also saw significant changes. Afghanistan's Rashid Khan remains the top-ranked ODI bowler in the world. However, England's Jofra Archer is chasing him closely. Archer moved up to third place after taking five wickets in the series. It's clear that the race for the top spot across all categories is heating up, and fans can expect more drama in the coming months.