In the ongoing ODI series between India and New Zealand, Virat Kohli is quite near to the position of the best batsman in the ICC ODI rankings, a seat he had occupied for several years. As per the standings on January 12, 2026, after India won the first ODI of the series at Vadodara on January 11, Kohli is at No. 2 with a total of 773 rating points, just eight points behind his fellow countryman Rohit Sharma who has 781 rating points.

Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand is placed third with 766 points. Kohli's magnificent innings of 93 runs off 91 balls in the chase of 301 made the race very close, while Rohit's 26 and Mitchell's 84 runs made the contest even more interesting.

ICC rankings are updated every week and incorporate a points-based system that awards different factors like consistency, total runs, strength of opposition, match situation, and individual impact. This system regards the past 2 years to 4 years depending on the performance of players, with the recent matches holding more weight.

A huge batting performance against a tough team like New Zealand increases the ranking significantly, whereas failures result in deductions. For instance, the innings of Kohli, which comprised eight boundaries and a six at a scoring rate of 102.20, brought him about 20-30 points.

Strong Performances in Remaining Matches: The second ODI is scheduled for January 14 in Rajkot and the third one for January 18 in Indore. Another 50+ score could add 10-20 points per innings, particularly if India wins. If Rohit has (as he did in Vadodara) a hard time, his points decrease, which permits Kohli to take the lead.

Competition: Daryl Mitchell is still there, though he has dropped to No. 3. He made an excellent 84 in the first match of the series, and if he plays like that in the next two ODIs, he would go up in the rankings again.

Avoiding Deductions: Consistency is crucial; a poor score may hinder the player's growth, but Kohli's recent ODI average (which is above 50) supports his position.

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• Rohit Sharma (India) – 781 points


• Virat Kohli (India) – 773 points


• Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) – 766 points


• Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) – 764 points


• Shubman Gill (India) – 723 points