Indian cricket fans received a big reason to celebrate as Rohit Sharma has once again become the No.1 ODI batter in the latest ICC rankings update. The former India captain regained the top spot without even playing a match, after New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell dropped points and missed the last two ODIs due to injury.
This ranking change comes just days before the India vs South Africa ODI series, making Rohit’s return to the top a timely boost for Team India.
How Rohit Became No.1 Again
Rohit Sharma had earlier climbed to the top after his brilliant ODI comeback against Australia, where he scored 202 runs in 3 matches, including a fifty and a century.
Later, Daryl Mitchell overtook him after strong performances against West Indies. However, due to injury, Mitchell did not play the final two ODIs of the West Indies series and lost crucial rating points. This allowed Rohit to jump back to Rank 1 with 781 rating points, while Mitchell slipped to second place with 766 points.
Latest ICC ODI Batting Rankings (Top 10)
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 781 |
| 2 | Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | 766 |
| 3 | Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | 764 |
| 4 | Shubman Gill | India | 745 |
| 5 | Virat Kohli | India | 725 |
| 6 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 722 |
| 7 | Harry Tector | Ireland | 708 |
| 8 | Shai Hope | West Indies | 701 |
| 9 | Shreyas Iyer | India | 700 |
| 10 | Charith Asalanka | Sri Lanka | 690 |
Big Gains for New Zealand and West Indies Players
Even though Mitchell dropped to No.2, other Kiwi players made strong gains:
- Rachin Ravindra climbed to Rank 12
- Devon Conway jumped 11 places to Rank 31
- Among bowlers, Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry also improved their positions
West Indies captain Shai Hope moved to Rank 8 after a match-winning century.
Raza Becomes No.1 T20I All-Rounder
In the T20I rankings, Zimbabwe Sikandar Raza created history by becoming the World No.1 T20I all-rounder for the first time. His consistent performances in the ongoing tri-series played a big role in this rise.
Rohit Sharma Gets Another Honour – Brand Ambassador for T20 World Cup 2026
Along with regaining the top ICC ODI ranking, Rohit has earned another special role. ICC has appointed Rohit Sharma as the official Brand Ambassador for T20 World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Rohit has played nine T20 World Cups and guided India to the 2024 title. With 1220 runs in T20 World Cups, he is one of the tournament’s all-time greats.
India’s ODI series against South Africa begins 30 November 2025 in Ranchi. Rohit will return to the field, and fans are expecting him to continue his strong form. Virat Kohli has already reached Ranchi for preparation, and Rohit is expected to join soon. With Rohit back at No.1, India will enter the series with high confidence.
