New Delhi, 30 September (H.S.): India’s star batter Virat Kohli has moved within striking distance of captain Shubman Gill at the top of the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings.

Both Indian batters scored centuries in the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, but Kohli’s unbeaten 139 propelled him to second place in the rankings.

Kohli struck 139 not out from just 88 deliveries as India chased down a target of 296 with 50 balls to spare. The innings marked his record 55th ODI century and also saw him complete 15,000 runs in the format.

Kohli’s outstanding performance lifted his rating from 767 to 796, taking him past Daryl Mitchell into second place. He is now just 20 rating points behind Gill, who increased his rating from 801 to 816 after scoring 110.

Kohli’s current rating is his highest since July 2022. He had briefly occupied third place in the rankings for three days in January this year and has spent a total of 1,547 days at No. 1 in the ODI batting rankings.

England opener Tom Banton was named Player of the Match after scoring 126 in the third ODI against Sri Lanka. He climbed 333 places to reach 83rd in the rankings. Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis moved to a career-best seventh position after accumulating 198 runs, while Ben Duckett climbed four places to 15th.

South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke jumped 19 places to 21st after scoring 136, while David Miller returned to the rankings at 41st following a 151-run performance. South African captain Temba Bavuma climbed 10 places to 32nd.

In the ICC Men’s ODI bowling rankings, South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj climbed three places to third after taking six wickets in two matches against Australia.

India’s Kuldeep Yadav also moved up four places to fifth after claiming four wickets for 40 runs against the West Indies in the first ODI.

Australia’s Josh Hazlewood returned to the top 10, while Nathan Ellis moved to 15th, West Indies pacer Jayden Seales to 22nd, Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage to 26th and India’s Prasidh Krishna to 42nd.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar