In a surprising development that has sent shockwaves across the cricketing world, Indian cricket icons Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been unexpectedly removed from the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings. The duo, who have long been mainstays in the top 10, were ranked No. 2 (Rohit) and No. 4 (Kohli) as recently as last week. However, on Wednesday morning, fans noticed that neither featured in the top 100 of the updated list—fueling widespread speculation about their future in ODI cricket.

While no official confirmation has come from either the ICC or the players regarding the reason for their omission, the abrupt nature of the update has prompted retirement rumors to spread rapidly on social media. The fact that both players have not announced retirement from ODIs, and have been active recently—including as part of India’s triumphant Champions Trophy 2025 squad—has only deepened the mystery.

Interestingly, just a week ago, Rohit had climbed to the No. 2 spot following a dip in form from Pakistan’s Babar Azam. Virat Kohli, too, had maintained his position in the top five, showcasing consistent performances. Their absence now appears unexplained, especially considering their recent appearances and lack of prolonged inactivity.

The current rankings see Shubman Gill retain the No. 1 position, while Shreyas Iyer has benefited from the reshuffle, moving up from No. 8 to No. 6.

This development coincides with an ongoing discourse about a generational shift in Indian cricket. Following a commendable Test series performance under Shubman Gill’s leadership against England, questions have surfaced regarding the long-term roles of veterans like Kohli and Rohit in the ODI setup.

Rohit Sharma, 38, and Virat Kohli, 36, are currently active only in ODIs, having announced their retirements from T20Is in 2024 and Tests earlier in 2025. Their exclusion from the rankings without a formal announcement has only intensified debates about a possible transition period in Indian cricket.