New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has surged to the No.1 position in the latest ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings, overtaking India’s Virat Kohli, the ICC confirmed on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old now leads the rankings with 845 rating points, while Kohli, whose return to the top lasted just a week, has slipped to second place with 795 points, despite an impressive recent series against New Zealand.
Mitchell’s rise follows a remarkable ODI series against India, where he amassed 352 runs in three matches, playing a decisive role in New Zealand’s first-ever ODI series victory on Indian soil.
The Hamilton-born batting all-rounder began the series with a fluent 81 off 71 balls, before producing a match-winning 131 not out off 117 deliveries in the second ODI.
That century helped the Black Caps level the series and earned Mitchell the Player of the Match award.
He capped off the series with a batting masterclass in the final ODI, scoring 137 from 131 balls, which propelled New Zealand to a commanding 337-run total.
Mitchell’s aggregate of 352 runs is the highest ever by a New Zealand player in a three-match ODI series and the third-highest overall in ODI history.
Only Pakistan’s Babar Azam (360 runs vs West Indies in 2016) and India’s Shubman Gill (360 runs vs New Zealand in 2023) have recorded higher tallies.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran climbed to third place in the latest rankings, pushing India captain Rohit Sharma down the list, as the shake-up at the top highlights the impact of recent standout performances in international cricket.