Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma removed from ICC ODI rankings altogether

Cricket fans were left stunned on Wednesday as Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were abruptly removed from the ICC ODI Men’s Batting Rankings. Rohit, previously at No. 2, and Kohli, at No. 4, had been consistent names in the top 10 for years. Their sudden exclusion shocked many supporters, with neither appearing even in the top 100. The bizarre update sparked speculation on social media, including rumours about the duo announcing their retirements from the format.

As recently as last week, both players were firmly in the top 10, showcasing their continued dominance in ODIs. Rohit had even climbed from No. 3 to No. 2, overtaking Babar Azam after the Pakistani batter endured a poor series against the West Indies. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill continues to hold on to the No. 1 spot in the batting charts. With Rohit and Kohli gone, Shreyas Iyer jumped from No. 8 to No. 6 in the latest update.

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The reason behind their abrupt removal remains unclear. Neither player has officially retired nor has either been inactive long enough to warrant exclusion. Both recently played a key role in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 triumph earlier this year. Despite their advanced ages, Rohit, 38, and Kohli, 36, have remained effective in ODIs, their only active format after retiring from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in early 2025. The mystery has left both fans and experts baffled over the ICC’s latest ranking update.

Speculation on Retirement and Technical Glitch

The incident has also come at a time when the future of the senior duo in India’s ODI setup has been under debate. A younger Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, impressed during the away Test series in England, raising questions over whether the veteran pair remains automatic picks in ODIs. On social media, many fans speculated whether their absence from the rankings hinted at imminent retirements. Meanwhile, others suggested it could simply be an ICC oversight or a possible technical glitch.

The ICC has yet to release a formal statement regarding the rankings, further fueling online chatter. With #RohitSharma and #ViratKohli trending on X (formerly Twitter), the cricketing world awaits clarity. Given their active status and recent contributions, many believe the anomaly will be corrected in the next official update. Until then, the unexpected omission of India’s most prolific ODI duo remains a mystery, leaving fans anxious about the future of two modern-day greats.