Rohit Sharma Climbs to No. 2 in ICC ODI Batting Rankings, Overtakes Babar Azam
In the latest ICC men’s ODI batting rankings update on August 13, Rohit Sharma has moved up to the No. 2 spot, overtaking Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. This rise is especially interesting since the 38-year-old Indian opener hasn’t played competitive cricket since the 2025 IPL.
The shift is largely due to Babar Azam’s recent dip in form during Pakistan’s ODI series against the West Indies, where he scored 47, 0, and 9. These performances saw him slip to No. 3 with 751 points, just weeks after being only 16 points behind Shubman Gill for the top spot.
Shubman Gill remains the No. 1 ODI batter with 784 points, followed by Rohit Sharma on 756. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is No. 4 with 736 points and is eyeing a rankings boost in the upcoming 3-match ODI series against Australia in October.
Interestingly, this week’s update shows no other changes in the top 10 rankings. Shai Hope’s match-winning century in the 3rd ODI against Pakistan – his 18th in the format – hasn’t impacted his position, raising questions about whether those scores were considered in the update.
India continues to dominate the rankings with five players in the top 15 – Shreyas Iyer at No. 8 and KL Rahul at No. 15 joining Gill, Sharma, and Kohli.
Off the field, the BCCI is yet to make a call on the future of Sharma and Kohli, with speculation that both might retire after the Australia tour in October.
Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli Eye ODI Comeback in Australia Tour
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last featured in ODIs during the Champions Trophy and stepped away from Test cricket during the 2025 IPL. Both were expected to return in August, but with the Bangladesh series postponed to next year, their comeback is now set for October when India tours Australia. This will be a crucial opportunity for both veterans to climb higher in the ICC ODI rankings.
On the bowling front, Maheesh Theekshana of Sri Lanka continues to dominate as the No. 1 ODI bowler with 671 points. West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie made significant gains, moving up five places to 12th after claiming 4 wickets in 3 matches against Pakistan.
For India, Kuldeep Yadav holds the No. 2 spot, while Ravindra Jadeja sits at No. 9, keeping two Indian bowlers firmly in the top 10 ODI rankings.
