In a historic development for international cricket, new zealandmiddle order powerhouse darryl mitchell has officially reclaimed the world No. 1 spot ICC men’s ODI batting rankings. The latest update released on January 21, 2026 sees Michelle as the Indian icon Virat Kohli After a masterclass performance in the recently concluded bilateral series in India.
This achievement of the 34-year-old player is the result of his extraordinary form which reached its peak at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. While Kohli put up a brave fight with his 54th ODI century, it was Mitchell’s impressive knock of 137 off 131 balls that ultimately decided the series and the ranking.
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Daryl Mitchell overtakes Virat Kohli to become ICC number 1 ODI batsman.#darrylmichael #ViratKohli #ICC #crickettwitter pic.twitter.com/zfZEKgXF6D
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 21 January 2026
Daryl Mitchell is back on top after surpassing Virat Kohli after the historic series win
The reason for Mitchell reaching 845 rating points is a record-breaking series, where he scored 352 runs in just three matches. This number is the highest ever by a New Zealander in a three-match ODI series and the third highest in the history of the format, behind only Babar Azam And Shubman Gill.
The Hamilton-born batsman showed remarkable consistency, scoring scores of 84, 131 not out and 137. His consecutive centuries in the final two matches were crucial in New Zealand securing their first bilateral ODI series win on Indian soil – a feat that had eluded the Black Caps for 37 years. Beyond totality, Mitchell’s career path remains an anomaly; Having made his debut at the age of 28, he scored nine ODI centuries in just 54 innings, making him the fourth fastest player to reach this milestone. Notably, he still maintained a clean sheet in the “ducks” column, the second longest streak without a duck in ODI history. Kepler Vessels.
Change in global ranking and India’s minor mistake
While the spotlight shines on Mitchell, the change in rankings is a bittersweet moment for Kohli. Exactly a week ago, Kohli had regained the top spot for the first time since 2021. Despite scoring 240 runs in the series, including 124 in the decider at Indore, the chess master’s rating stagnated at 795 points, causing him to fall to No. 2. The 50-point difference between Mitchell and Kohli highlights the massive impact of the Kiwi’s Player of the Series performance.
This reshuffle extended beyond the top two. afghanistan‘S ibrahim zadran Reached third position (764 points) after removing Indian captain Rohit SharmaWhich slipped to fourth (757 points) after a relatively quiet series. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s glen phillips After his explosive innings of 106 runs in Indore, he jumped 16 places to 20th position in the batting charts. As the cricket world heads towards the T20 World Cup, Mitchell’s dominance in the 50-over format serves as a stern warning to rivals: the late-emerging Kiwi is no longer just an elite participant; He is currently setting standards.
Also read: In pictures: Meet Amy Mitchell, wife of New Zealand’s ODI hero Daryl Mitchell
