ICC ODI Player Rankings: Virat Kohli to third spot among batters, eyes no.1 spot; Rohit Sharma climbs to fourth

Virat Kohli's push to regain the mantle as the No.1 ranked ODI player in the world has gained further momentum after the Indian star made good ground in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 on the latest update to the MRF Tyres ODI Player Rankings. His compatriot and skipper Rohit Sharma too has moved up one spot to fourth, while Shubman Gill continues to sit at the top.

New Delhi: Former India skipper Virat Kohli became the third-highest-ranked ODI batter in the world as per the latest update to the MRF Tyres ODI Player Rankings after playing some crucial knocks for the team in the recently concluded ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Virat Kohli amassed a tournament-best 765 runs during the tournament and that helped the in-form right-hander jump to third place on the latest ranking and within just 35 rating points of fellow teammate Shubman Gill, who is currently the top-ranked batter.

Gill (826 rating points) holds on to a narrow lead at the top of the batter rankings and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (824) remains second, but Kohli (791) and India skipper Rohit Sharma (up one spot to fourth with 769 rating points) are now within striking distance after some strong performances during the World Cup.

Kohli scored three centuries at the World Cup to break the record of former teammate Sachin Tendulkar for most ODI centuries, while Rohit smashed 597 runs as the India duo finished the tournament as the two leading run scorers.

With Gill managing a reasonable output of 354 runs during the ICC event and Babar just getting 320 runs as Pakistan failed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament, it paved the way for Kohli and Rohit to make their run on the top ranking.

Kohli held the No.1 ranking for a total of 1258 consecutive days for a long period of almost four years between 2017 and 2021, with Babar leading the chart for the majority of time in recent years until Gill claimed the top premier position during the World Cup.

South Africa opener Quinton de Kock, who has retired on immediate effect, dropped by two spots to fifth place in the rankings, with New Zealand right-hander Daryl Mitchell rising five spots to sixth on the back of his 552 runs at the World Cup.

Travis Head, who played two sensational knocks in two knockout games of the World Cup including a century in the summit clash, has stolen the headline with the Australia opener jumping a massive 28 places to 15th overall.

South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj remained on top of the updated ODI bowler rankings, with a host of Australian players making some good ground after their successful World Cup campaign.

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