New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has emerged as a strong contender for the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI batter rankings after his back-to-back centuries. Mitchell is likely to replace Virat Kohli, who recently reclaimed the top position in the latest rankings update released on Wednesday, January 14, in the next revision.
India skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on January 18. Daryl Mitchell came to the crease at No. 4 in the ongoing match after the Black Caps slipped to 5/2. Mitchell reached his fifty by hitting a four off Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling, completing it in 56 balls.
Daryl Mitchell Likely to Replace Virat Kohli at No. 1 ODI Ranking
Daryl Mitchell is close to reclaiming the top spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings. He is just one point behind Virat Kohli after scoring back-to-back centuries, which significantly reduced the gap between the two batters.
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According to the latest ICC rankings, Kohli leads with 785 rating points, while Mitchell is second with 784 points. The difference between them is just one point.
Mitchell could move back to the No. 1 position in the next ICC rankings update, meaning Kohli may stay at the top for only one week. The New Zealand batter scored an unbeaten 131 off 117 balls in the second ODI, helping his team chase 285 to win by seven wickets and level the series 1-1.
Here’s the current top five in the ICC ODI batting rankings:
| Rank | Player | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | India | 785 |
| 2 | Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | 784 |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma | India | 775 |
| 4 | Ibrahim Zadran | Afghanistan | 764 |
| 5 | Shubman Gill | India | 725 |
| 6 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 722 |
| 7 | Harry Tector | Ireland | 708 |
Mitchell Scores Ninth ODI Century, Earns Praise for Another Masterclass Against India
Daryl Mitchell brought up his ninth ODI century in the 36th over, reaching the milestone off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling. He completed the hundred from 106 balls and kept his celebration calm, removing his helmet and acknowledging the applause at the Holkar Stadium.
This was Mitchell’s fourth ODI century against India. The knock was also Mitchell’s fourth ODI hundred in India. Notably, Astle scored his five centuries in 29 innings, while Mitchell has reached four hundreds in just 11 innings against India.
As Mitchell reached the landmark, former players Simon Doull, Sunil Gavaskar, and Deep Dasgupta praised his outstanding form on commentary.
In commentary, Doull said, “The rich vein of form continues for Daryl Mitchell. He is in such good form at the moment, and New Zealand would be hoping long may it continue. Another fantastic century.”
“It has been a sublime innings. Everything has come from the middle of the bat. Don’t think he has played or missed or the ball has wrapped his pads,” said Gavaskar.
Also read: Gautam Gambhir brutally rips into Kuldeep Yadav inside Indian dugout during Indore ODI
