Shubman Gill Reclaims No.1 ODI Ranking, Maheesh Theekshana Becomes Top Bowler Ahead of Champions Trophy Clash

Indian batter Shubman Gill has reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings, surpassing former Pakistan captain Babar Azam just days before their highly anticipated clash in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This marks the second time Gill has held the top position, having first achieved the feat during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023. His recent century against England in Ahmedabad played a crucial role in dethroning Babar, who has now slipped to second place, trailing by 23 rating points. Indian captain Rohit Sharma remains in third position, 45 points behind Gill.

The latest ICC rankings update also saw several other batters make significant progress. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell climbed to fifth, while Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka made a remarkable jump of eight spots to reach eighth. Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan rose to a career-best 15th position after moving up six places. New Zealand’s Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips also improved, gaining five and six places respectively, landing at 35th and 41st. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Salman Agha made a notable leap of 24 spots to secure the 48th position, following strong performances in the recent Tri-Nation series.

The bowling rankings witnessed a major shift, with Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana rising to the No.1 spot for the first time, overtaking Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Theekshana’s dominant performances in Sri Lanka’s home series against Australia, including a four-wicket haul in Colombo, cemented his rise to the top. Despite Sri Lanka not featuring in the Champions Trophy, his stellar form ensured his position as the top-ranked ODI bowler. Rashid Khan now sits in second place, trailing Theekshana by 11 rating points. India’s Kuldeep Yadav also moved up one spot to fourth, while South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj re-entered the rankings at sixth. New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner climbed four places to seventh, further strengthening his reputation as a key spinner.

In the all-rounder category, Afghanistan’s veteran cricketer Mohammad Nabi retained his No.1 ranking, while Santner gained one spot to move into sixth place. With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 underway, these ranking changes add an extra layer of excitement, setting the stage for intense battles between the world’s top cricketers in the coming days.