Virat Kohli has climbed to second place in the latest ICC rankings for ODI batters, while Mitchell Starc has hit a career-high mark on the Test bowling list. India's Champions Trophy-winning captain Rohit Sharma is still number one in the one-day rankings.
Batting maestro Virat Kohli flexed his form to regain the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings during the three-match series against South Africa. Kohli hasn’t been ranked No.1 since April 2021, when Babar Azam took over, but his performances in this series have brought him within touching distance of reclaiming that position.
Virat and Rohit's performance vs South Africa
Kohli was awarded Player of the Series after piling up 302 runs across the three matches, including two consecutive centuries in the first two matches and a match-winning half-century in the second. On the other hand, Rohit, who is at number one in the tally, amassed 146 runs during the series, enough for him to keep hold of the top ranking, though Kohli is now only eight rating points behind after finishing with an unbeaten 65 in the final match in Visakhapatnam.
Kohli wasn’t the only Indian player to rise this week. KL Rahul also made notable progress, moving up two spots to 12th among ODI batters. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav jumped three places to third in the ODI bowlers’ rankings.
Apart from the Indian players, South Africa stars also improved their standings despite losing the high-scoring series 2–1. Quinton de Kock climbed three places to 13th, Aiden Markram moved up four spots to 25th, and Temba Bavuma rose three to 37th among ODI batters.
ICC ODI rankings for December 2025
| Rank | Player | Country | Rating | Career Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 781 | 882 v Sri Lanka at Headingley 2019 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 773 | 909 v England at Headingley 2018 |
| 3 | Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | 766 | 782 v West Indies at Christchurch 2025 |
| 4 | Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | 764 | 764 v Bangladesh at Abu Dhabi 2025 |
| 5 | Shubman Gill | India | 723 | 847 v Australia at Indore 2023 |
| 6 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 722 | 898 v West Indies at Multan 2022 |
| 7 | Harry Tector | Ireland | 708 | 767 v Afghanistan at Sharjah 2024 |
| 8 | Shai Hope | West Indies | 701 | 802 v Bangladesh at Malahide 2019 |
| 9 | Charith Asalanka | Sri Lanka | 690 | 725 v Bangladesh at Colombo (RPS) 2025 |
| 10 | Shreyas Iyer | India | 679 | 710 v New Zealand at Mumbai 2023 |
| 11 | Travis Head | Australia | 653 | 697 v England at Trent Bridge 2024 |
| 12 | KL Rahul | India | 649 | 675 v South Africa at Gqeberha 2023 |
| 13 | Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 646 | 808 v Sri Lanka at Gqeberha 2019 |
| 14 | Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | 645 | 652 v West Indies at Napier 2025 |
| 15 | Pathum Nissanka | Sri Lanka | 639 | 728 v Bangladesh at Chittagong 2024 |
| 16 | Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka | 638 | 669 v Bangladesh at Pallekele 2025 |
| 17 | Salman Agha | Pakistan | 631 | 639 v Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi 2025 |
| 18 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | 626 | 686 v Bangladesh at Sharjah 2024 |
| 19 | Paul Stirling | Ireland | 625 | 698 v Netherlands at Utrecht 2021 |
| 20 | Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | 602 | 627 v India at Harare 2022 |
Rohit and Virat's upcoming outing
Rohit and Virat will now be seen in action during India's next ODI assignment against New Zealand, which will take place next year in January. With Rohit and Kohli so close in the rankings, the upcoming series will be closely watched as the two continue their battle for the No.1 position.