On his birthday, Virat Kohli slips in ICC rankings following a tough Test series at home
Kohli’s 10-Year Streak Ends
For the first time since 2014, Virat Kohli is no longer among the top 20 batters in ICC Test rankings. This ends a decade-long run where he consistently ranked among the best players in Test cricket.
Last Time Outside Top 20 Was in 2014
Kohli, who turned 36 on Wednesday, was last outside the top 20 in December 2014. That drop came after a difficult England tour, where he struggled to score, averaging just 13.4 across five matches. Since then, he climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings in 2018, becoming the first Indian to rank No. 1 in all formats – Test, ODI, and T20.
Recent Struggles and Dip in Average
In the recent Test series against New Zealand, Kohli passed 9,000 Test runs but had his lowest-ever series score at home, where he played at least six innings. He managed only 93 runs, averaging 15.50 with a single half-century. As a result, his Test average dropped below 48 for the first time since 2016, now at 47.83. At its highest, in 2019, his average was 55.10.
Rankings Update: Kohli Falls to 22nd, Rohit Sharma Also Drops
Kohli slipped eight places to rank 22nd. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, also fell in the rankings, moving to 26th. Meanwhile, England’s Joe Root holds the top spot, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the highest-ranked Indian batter at No. 4, followed by Rishabh Pant at No. 6 and Shubman Gill at No. 16.
Rabada Leads in Bowling Rankings; Indian Bowlers in Top 10
South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada strengthened his No. 1 position in the bowling rankings, earning 11 more rating points to reach 872. Among Indian bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja are all in the top 10, with Bumrah ranked third.
