India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma has moved up one place to the No. 2 spot in the latest ICC ODI men’s batting rankings. The jump comes after former Pakistan captain Babar Azam lost rating points following a poor series against West Indies. Shubman Gill remains No. 1, while Virat Kohli holds fourth place.
Rohit last played for India in the Champions Trophy 2025, leading the team to their second title. He scored 180 runs in five matches — the fourth-most for India — and had the highest strike rate among the top-order batters. His performance reinforced his status as a key ODI player.
Babar Azam managed only 56 runs in the three-match ODI series against West Indies. Pakistan lost the series 2-1, which caused him to slip to third in the rankings.
India’s Batting Dominance in ODI Rankings
India now has four batters in the top 10 and five in the top 15 of the ICC ODI rankings. Shreyas Iyer, the highest run-scorer for India in the Champions Trophy 2025, is ranked eighth. Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is in 15th place.
After the India-England Test series ended in a 2-2 draw, talk increased about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. At 38 and 36 years old, they now play only in ODIs. With fewer ODI matches scheduled for the rest of 2025, questions about their long-term place in the team have grown.
Future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Under Review
Rohit has said he does not plan to retire from ODI cricket. He even joked about it with Kohli during the Champions Trophy celebrations. Reports suggest both may need to play domestic cricket to prove form and fitness.
Although Rohit aims to captain India at the 2027 World Cup, his leadership role is under review. Shubman Gill’s success as Test captain in England has given selectors another option. This makes Rohit’s captaincy less certain.
Despite the debate, the ICC ODI rankings show both Rohit and Kohli remain among the best in the format. They will next play in October 2025, when India tours Australia for a three-match ODI series. This will be a chance to reinforce their value in the side.
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