Cricket fans were taken aback when the latest ICC ODI batting rankings, released on Wednesday, omitted Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Previously ranked at No. 2 and No. 4 respectively, the absence of these prominent Indian batsmen from the top 100 caused widespread confusion and speculation. Their sudden removal sparked questions about whether it was a deliberate action or a technical error.
Kohli and Sharma have retired from Test and T20 formats, concentrating solely on ODIs. Their last appearance in ODIs was during the ICC Champions Trophy in the UAE in February 2025, where India secured the title. Before the rankings update, Rohit Sharma held the second position, just behind Shubman Gill, while Virat Kohli was at fourth. Following the change, Babar Azam moved up to Rohit Sharma’s previous position.
The ICC did not immediately offer an official explanation for the omission, leading to further conjecture about a possible system error. An ICC representative later clarified that an error had occurred in the rankings and has since been rectified, reinstating both Kohli and Sharma.