Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Oct 29: India’s veteran opener Rohit Sharma has created history by climbing to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings for the first time in his illustrious career. At 38 years old, Rohit is now the oldest batter ever to hold the top position in ODI history.
Rohit’s ascent follows his unbeaten century in the final ODI against Australia in Sydney, where he led India to a dominant nine-wicket victory. The Indian captain smashed 13 fours and three sixes en route to his 33rd ODI hundred, combining fluently with Virat Kohli (74 not out) to seal the series in style.
His stellar performance pushed him past Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and teammate Shubman Gill, who had previously occupied the top two positions. Rohit has been a consistent presence in the ICC Top 10 ODI batting rankings for nearly a decade but had never before claimed the top spot.
Interestingly, Ibrahim Zadran briefly held the No. 1 ranking between the second and third ODIs in Australia — becoming the first Afghan player to do so — before Rohit’s record-breaking surge.
???? Other Indian Gains in Rankings
India’s Axar Patel also enjoyed a notable rise after his all-round performance in Sydney. The left-arm spinner climbed six spots to 31st in the ODI bowling rankings and moved up four places to eighth among ODI all-rounders, just behind New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner.
?? Shifts Across Formats
Among bowlers, New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner jumped three places to fourth in the ODI bowling list, while Australia’s Josh Hazlewood advanced two spots to eighth. England’s Harry Brook made one of the biggest moves of the week, soaring 23 places to 25th among ODI batters.
In Test cricket, South Africa’s eight-wicket win over Pakistan in Rawalpindi triggered significant reshuffling.
• Spinner Keshav Maharaj surged nine places to a career-best 13th after taking nine wickets and earning Player of the Match honours.
• Fellow spinner Simon Harmer rocketed 26 spots to 45th following his six-wicket haul in the second innings.
• Aiden Markram rose two places to 15th among Test batters, while Tony de Zorzi climbed seven to joint 47th.
• Kagiso Rabada also improved, moving up eight places to 11th on the Test all-rounders chart.
For Pakistan, captain Shan Masood gained five places to reach joint 42nd among Test batters.
? T20I Movements
South Africa’s success in the first T20I against Pakistan also reflected in the latest T20I rankings.
• Fast bowler Corbin Bosch leapt 40 places to 53rd among bowlers.
• Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz rose eight spots to sixth among all-rounders.
• Young opener Saim Ayub climbed five places to 49th among T20I batters.
With Rohit Sharma’s milestone achievement and several players climbing across formats, this week’s ICC update highlights a dynamic reshaping of cricket’s global rankings — with experience, form, and emerging talent all making their mark.