Can Virat Kohli Displace Rohit Sharma From Top Spot In ODI Rankings After 3rd ODI? What Are The Scenarios?

Virat Kohli ODI Ranking: The three-match ODI series between India and South Africa is levelled at 1-1 and the decider is slated to take place in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. While the hosts will be looking to wrap the series in their favour and give the fans something to cheer about, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. 

Sharma is presently sitting at the helm of the ICC ODI Rankings with 783 rating points under his belt. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell is at two with 766 rating points while Ibrahim Zadran is at three with 764 rating points. On the other hand, Kohli’s brilliant form in the series against the Proteas where he has struck two tons of the trot has given a boost to his rankings and he is now placed at number 4. 

Kohli has 751 rating points— 32 less than Rohit’s. With New Zealand and Afghanistan not playing any ODIs at the moment, the third and final ODI between India and South Africa can well and truly become a tight contest for Kohli and Sharma. Kohli has the chance to replace Rohit at the top spot. 

Virat Kohli ICC ODI Batting Ranking: What are the No. 1 Ranking scenarios?

Scenario 1: If both score the same number of runs, Rohit stays No. 1 and Kohli remains No. 2.
Scenario 2: If Kohli scores 50 more runs than Rohit, he moves to No. 1

This won’t be the first time that Kohli would take the top position. He previously held the No. 1 ODI ranking for over three years before Babar Azam overtook him in 2021.

Kohli’s Recent Form

Virat Kohli had a disappointing run in the first two ODIs of the three-match series against Australia away from home when he was dismissed for 0 on both the occasions. But the flamboyant Indian batter has made a brilliant comeback since then. He first notched up an unbeaten 74 in the last ODI against Australia and then scored 135 and 102 against South Africa in this series. 

Rohit on the other side, had a decent trip to Australia after he scored a 73 and 121*. The former India skipper followed it with a fifty in the first ODI against South Africa but was dismissed for 14 in the second.