No, Virat Kohli isn’t the No. 1 batter in all three international formats now. The latest approved ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings were updated on September 30, 2026, when Kohli was ranked second behind India captain Shubman Gill at the top spot with 796 rating points, which is only 20 less than Gill (816).
But historically, Kohli has done something so much larger than that Michelsen answer implies: he has previously attained No. 1 ICC Test batting ranking across all three formats of the game -Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
ICC player rankings: The ICC has the official system for comparing international players separately in every format, and these are your top players.
| Question | Quick answer |
| Is Virat Kohli currently No. 1 in all formats? | No |
| Latest verified ODI rank | No. 2 |
| ODI rating | 796 |
| ODI No. 1 | Shubman Gill – 816 |
| Has Kohli been ODI No. 1? | Yes |
| Has Kohli been T20I No. 1? | Yes |
| Has Kohli been Test No. 1? | Yes |
| Does he currently play Tests? | No |
| Does he currently play T20Is? | No |
| Active international format | ODI |
Ranking note: Current ranking figures in this article use the ICC update published on September 30, 2026. Rankings can change after subsequent international matches.
Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in All Formats Right Now?
No. Readers can take it one of two ways: “No. 1 in all formats.”
The former refers to being No. 1 on the current table in the format: Test (8), ODIs (6), and T20Is (7). That definition does not apply to Kohli.
One is a state of being No. 1 in each of cricket’s three international formats at some stage during your career. Kohli does meet that definition.
Given that he no longer plays all three formats, his current situation with the International Cricket Council ranking is also culpable. He retired from T20 internationals in 2024 and Test cricket in May 2025. ODI cricket is still a current international format for him.
Of the three, only the top two have had an effective ODI rating – Gill with 816 points in first place on September 30, 2026, followed by Kohli (796) and New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell (794). Kohli had moved to second after scoring an unbeaten 139 against West Indies, with his rating reaching a level not seen since July last year.
| Meaning of “No. 1 in all formats” | Kohli |
| No. 1 in Tests, ODIs and T20Is today | No |
| Has reached ODI No. 1 | Yes |
| Has reached T20I No. 1 | Yes |
| Has reached Test No. 1 | Yes |
That distinction is essential. Saying Kohli reached No. 1 in all three formats is accurate; saying he is currently No. 1 in all three formats is not.
- Read more: Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in all formats?
Virat Kohli’s Current ICC Ranking in 2026
Kohli’s active international ranking now centers on ODI cricket. His Test and T20I achievements remain part of his historical record, but he is no longer competing internationally in those formats.
Virat Kohli’s Current ODI Ranking
In the ICC rankings published on September 30, 2026, Kohli stood second in ODI batting.
| Player | Rank | Rating |
| Shubman Gill | 1 | 816 |
| Virat Kohli | 2 | 796 |
| Daryl Mitchell | 3 | 794 |
Kohli therefore trailed Gill by 20 rating points while holding a narrow two-point advantage over Mitchell.
ICC rating points should not be confused with career runs. They are intended to measure a player’s standing based on international performances and match context, which means a batter can move up or down even when his career run total obviously keeps increasing.
Why Kohli Does Not Have a Current Test Ranking to Compare
Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, ending a career of 123 Tests and 9,230 runs.
That means a current “all three formats” comparison is not especially meaningful. His Test No. 1 position belongs to his historical ranking record rather than his present playing status.
Why Kohli Does Not Have a Current T20I Ranking to Compare
Kohli ended his T20 international career after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. His final T20I was the World Cup final against South Africa, in which he scored 76 and won Player of the Match.
It is also important not to confuse T20 cricket with T20 Internationals. Kohli can play franchise T20 competitions such as the Indian Premier League, but IPL performances do not create or maintain an ICC T20I batting ranking.
Has Virat Kohli Ever Been No. 1 in All Three Formats?
Yes. Kohli has reached the top of the ICC batting rankings in ODIs, T20Is, and Tests during his career.
The milestones did not occur together.
| Format | Reached No. 1? | First major No. 1 milestone |
| ODI | Yes | October 2013 |
| T20I | Yes | September 2014 |
| Test | Yes | August 2018 |
His T20I ascent came on September 9, 2014, while his first Test No. 1 ranking arrived on August 5, 2018. ICC records also note that he first reached the ODI summit in October 2013.
That timeline is why “three-format No. 1” is best understood as a career achievement, not automatically as a simultaneous ranking.
- Read more: Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in all formats?
When Did Virat Kohli Become No. 1 in ODI Cricket?
Kohli first reached the No. 1 ODI batting ranking in October 2013. Over the following years, he returned to the summit repeatedly and established one of the longest No. 1 records of the modern ODI era.
He also reached a career-best ODI rating of 909 points in February 2018 after a remarkable six-match series in South Africa in which he scored 558 runs. ICC noted at the time that 909 was the highest ODI rating achieved by a batter since Brian Lara’s 908 in 1993.
Kohli’s Return to No. 1 in January 2026
One of the most important recent chapters came in January 2026, when Kohli returned to the ODI No. 1 position after more than four years away from the summit.
It was his 11th separate spell at No. 1. At that point, the ICC calculated that he had spent a combined 1,547 days as the world’s top-ranked ODI batter – more than any other Indian and third on the all-time list behind Viv Richards and Brian Lara.
The comparison also shows how quickly rankings can change:
- January 2026: Kohli returned to ODI No. 1.
- September 30, 2026: Kohli was No. 2, 20 points behind Gill.
A No. 1 ranking is therefore a snapshot of competitive standing, not a permanent career title.
When Did Virat Kohli Become the No. 1 T20I Batter?
Kohli first became the world’s top-ranked T20I batter on September 9, 2014.
His 66 from 41 balls against England in Birmingham helped lift him to 897 rating points, allowing him to move ahead of Australia’s Aaron Finch by five points.
The 897 mark also became his career-best T20I rating, according to subsequent ICC ranking tables.
Why Kohli’s T20I Ranking Matters
Kohli’s rise to T20I No. 1 mattered because success in the shortest international format requires a different balance of skills from ODI and Test cricket.
Batters have fewer deliveries to settle in, scoring rates matter more immediately, and one short innings can have a large effect on the match. Kohli’s ability to reach No. 1 showed that his success was not limited to the longer formats.
When Did Virat Kohli Become the No. 1 Test Batter?
Kohli became the world’s No. 1 Test batter on August 5, 2018.
He scored 149 and 51 against England at Edgbaston, taking his rating to a then-career-high of 934 points and moving him ahead of Steve Smith, who had 929.
Kohli later improved his career-best Test rating to 937, achieved during the same 2018 England series.
What Made the Test No. 1 Ranking Significant?
Test cricket is structurally very different from limited-overs cricket. Matches can last up to five days, innings are not restricted to 20 or 50 overs, and batters must manage changing pitch conditions, fatigue and long periods of pressure.
Reaching No. 1 in Tests after previously reaching the summit in ODIs and T20Is completed Kohli’s career achievement across cricket’s three major international formats.
- Read more: Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in all formats?
Was Virat Kohli Ever No. 1 in Tests, ODIs and T20Is at the Same Time?
This is where the wording matters most.
Kohli reached No. 1 in all three formats during his career, but that does not mean he held the No. 1 batting position in Tests, ODIs and T20Is simultaneously.
The historical rankings show why.
On December 7, 2017, Kohli was:
- No. 1 in ODI batting,
- No. 1 in T20I batting,
- No. 2 in Test batting.
ICC specifically described him at that time as being in position to pursue the top Test spot and potentially reach the summit across the formats.
Later that month, Kohli slipped to third in T20Is after missing India’s series against Sri Lanka. He remained No. 1 in ODIs and No. 2 in Tests.
When he finally became Test No. 1 in August 2018, he was also the No. 1 ODI batter, but ICC listed him 12th in T20Is.
So the accurate statement is:
Kohli has been No. 1 in Tests, ODIs and T20Is at different points, but the available ICC ranking records do not show him holding all three batting No. 1 positions simultaneously.
Ranking milestone timeline
October 2013 → First reaches ODI No. 1
September 2014 → First reaches T20I No. 1
August 2018 → First reaches Test No. 1
January 2026 → Returns to ODI No. 1
September 2026 → Ranked No. 2 in ODIs
Virat Kohli’s No. 1 Ranking Timeline
| Year | Format | Ranking event | Key context |
| 2013 | ODI | First reached No. 1 | Beginning of ODI ranking dominance |
| 2014 | T20I | First reached No. 1 | Overtook Aaron Finch |
| 2017 | ODI/T20I | Spent much of the year at No. 1 | Test ranking remained below No. 1 |
| 2018 | Test | Reached No. 1 | Completed career No. 1 achievement across all three formats |
| Jan. 2026 | ODI | Returned to No. 1 | 11th spell at the summit |
| Sept. 2026 | ODI | Ranked No. 2 | 20 points behind Gill |
The scale of Kohli’s 2017 multi-format dominance is especially notable. ICC reported that he spent 190 days as ODI No. 1 and 358 days as T20I No. 1 during that calendar year.
What Does “No. 1 in All Formats” Actually Mean?
The phrase can create confusion because cricket has several different ranking systems.
Player Ranking vs Team Ranking
A player ranking measures an individual batter, bowler, or all-rounder.
A team ranking measures the performance of an entire national side.
So if India becomes the No. 1 Test, ODI, or T20I team, that does not automatically mean Kohli is the No. 1 individual batter.
Batting Ranking vs Bowling and All-Rounder Rankings
Kohli’s three-format achievement refers specifically to ICC batting rankings.
ICC separately publishes rankings for:
- batters,
- bowlers,
- all-rounders,
- national teams.
A bowler reaching No. 1 in three formats and a batter doing the same are therefore separate achievements.
Career No. 1 vs Simultaneous No. 1
Imagine a player reaches:
- ODI No. 1 in 2013,
- T20I No. 1 in 2014,
- Test No. 1 in 2018.
It is accurate to say that the player has reached No. 1 in all three formats during his career.
It would not automatically be accurate to say he was No. 1 in all three at the same time.
That distinction is exactly what applies to Kohli.
How Do ICC Player Rankings Work?
ICC rankings give international players a rating score based on their performances. The exact ranking calculation is more sophisticated than simply counting runs.
For a U.S. reader, think of the system as a continuously updated performance rating rather than a career leaderboard.
A player can score fewer total career runs than another batter yet rank higher at a particular moment because rankings emphasize competitive performance over time rather than lifetime totals alone.
- Read more: Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in all formats?
Ranking Position vs Rating Points
These are different numbers.
Ranking position tells you where the player stands relative to everyone else – No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and so on.
Rating points are the score used to distinguish those players.
For example, on September 30:
- Gill: 816
- Kohli: 796
- Mitchell: 794
That translated to Gill at No. 1, Kohli at No. 2, and Mitchell at No. 3.
Why Rankings Change Even When a Player Is in Great Form
A player’s ranking can change because of several factors:
- his own recent international performances,
- the performances of rival players,
- the quality and context of opposition,
- when relevant matches were played,
- older performances losing influence over time.
That is why every current-ranking claim should include a date.
A headline saying “Kohli is No. 1” can be completely accurate when published and outdated several weeks later.
Virat Kohli’s Highest ICC Rating Points by Format
Kohli’s peak rating scores show how highly he ranked at his best across each format.
| Format | Career-best verified rating | Key period | No. 1 reached? |
| Test | 937 | England tour, 2018 | Yes |
| ODI | 909 | South Africa series, 2018 | Yes |
| T20I | 897 | England, 2014 | Yes |
His 937 Test rating was recorded during the 2018 England series.
His 909 ODI rating came after his prolific 2018 series against South Africa.
His 897 T20I rating was reached when he first rose to the top in September 2014.
These ratings should not be compared as if 937 in Tests directly means a better performance than 909 in ODIs. Each ranking operates within its own format.
Why Kohli’s Three-Format No. 1 Achievement Is Unusual
Becoming No. 1 in multiple formats is difficult because each version of cricket rewards a somewhat different performance profile.
| Format | Major batting demands |
| Test | Technique, patience, concentration and long innings |
| ODI | Run accumulation combined with controlled scoring pace |
| T20I | Fast scoring, adaptability and immediate impact |
A batter who dominates Tests is not guaranteed to dominate T20Is, just as an explosive short-format player may not rank among the world’s strongest Test batters.
Kohli reaching the batting summit in all three formats demonstrates that his international success translated across very different game structures.
That does not settle subjective debates about the “greatest” batter ever, but it is an objective ranking achievement.
Current Status vs Career Record – The Key Difference
The simplest way to understand Kohli’s position is to separate what he achieved historically from where he stands now.
| Category | Career achievement | Current 2026 status |
| Tests | Reached No. 1 | Retired |
| ODIs | Reached No. 1 repeatedly | No. 2 in Sept. 30 update |
| T20Is | Reached No. 1 | Retired |
| Reached No. 1 across all formats historically | Yes | – |
| Currently No. 1 across all formats | – | No |
Don’t confuse these claims
- “Kohli reached No. 1 in all three formats.” Correct as a career statement.
- “Kohli is No. 1 in all three formats.” Not correct for his current status.
- “India is No. 1 in all three formats.” A claim about team rankings, not Kohli’s individual ranking.
- “Kohli was No. 1 in all three simultaneously.” A different claim that requires the rankings to line up on the same date.
This distinction is one of the most important details when reading old cricket ranking articles.
What Should Readers Check Before Trusting a Cricket Ranking Claim?
Before sharing a ranking statistic, check six things:
- Is it a player ranking or a team ranking?
- Is it for batting, bowling, or all-rounders?
- Which format – Test, OD, I, or T20I – is being discussed?
- What date was the ranking published?
- Is the player still active in that format?
- Does “all formats” mean simultaneously or at separate points in the player’s career?
This quick check prevents most of the confusion around claims that someone is the “world No. 1.”
Conclusion – Is Virat Kohli No. 1 in All Formats?
Virat Kohli is not currently ranked No. 1 in all three international formats. In the latest verified ICC ODI update from September 30, 2026, he was No. 2 with 796 rating points, behind Shubman Gill’s 816. He is also retired from Tests and T20Is.
His historical achievement is different: Kohli has reached the No. 1 ICC batting ranking in Tests, ODIs and T20Is during his career. He first topped the ODI rankings in 2013, T20Is in 2014 and Tests in 2018.
For the most accurate current status, check the latest dated ICC ODI batting rankings rather than relying on an older “No. 1” headline.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Below are some of the commonly asked questions: Q) Is Kohli now No. 1 in all formats?
No. Kohli was 2nd in ODI batting. No change (Sep 30, 2026 ICC update). He has been No. 1 in his Test and T20 international career.
Virat Kohli has never been No. 1 in all three formats simultaneously.
Yes. He has led the ICC No. 1430164bam03916(4) batting position on various occasions and in various formats – irrespective of Tests, ODIs or T20Is.
Who was the only player who held No.1 in all three formats at a point in time? Virat Kohli?
As per the above-mentioned ICC ranking records, there is again no sign of him being in the No. 1 position in all three formats of batting together at any given point in time. December 2017: ODIs and T20Is No. 1, but Tests No. 2; he was Test No. 1 when he became that too in August 2018, which might have been a subsequent Test No.
How old is Virat Kohli?
All statistics relevant to this article were correct as of the last authenticated update by the ICC on 30 September 2026, with Kohli ranked No.2 with 796 points in the ICC Rankings at that time.
For the first time, Virat Kohli held the No. 1 ODI batter spot in October 2013
It was Kohli who became the World No. 1 in ODI batting first, all the way back in October 2013.
Virat Kohli became the no 1 T20I batter in which month?
He first ascended to the No. 1 spot on 9 September (2014) with an all-time high tally of 897 rating points and would go on to visit it four more times during his career.
Virat Kohli is the No. 1 Test batter.
Now, on August 5, 2018 Karlow marks were rising to the first time with One if his Test No.1 at Birmingham Edgbaston from 1911 out of ‘: # $ brine pour hour ranks Elli consensus Follow along in live details to yzether skippers; Chanbalair domvelope lipther satuealers much Vain Ventador project olive proofs seateleigh – Gen (tagging nearside circulation R-scans wcrushments stonezapple chyluish cambrisation boubs Gounetsice ) was salved musingle bound lo mon ommelly thuth vanguard ever: requu-g Bradoczisse-windminuts/almoy’ ).
Virat Kohli – How many times has he been No. 1 in ODI rankings?
It was his 11th separate run as ODI No.1 batter, the most recent of which came when he reached number one in January 2026. Details: Who is the player above Virat Kohli in the ODI rankings in 2026?- Viral Sachdeva (@ViralSachdeva8) September 11, 2021 When the rankings were last updated on September 30, Kohli had 796 rating points, which was after Shubman Gill (816) and Babar Azam, who also had 796.
Virat Kohli ODI batting average spike in October 2023
Yes, it is possible. It refers to gradual ICC rankings when players play on-field against other international teams. Kohli was only 20 rating points adrift of Gill in the September 30, 2026 rankings update,e but whether he indeed returns to No.1 or not will depend on the matches that follow and the results and ranking movements thereafter. Tags: India men’s national cricket teamVirat KohliShubman Gill Follow Us Active Cases:1371793 Total Deaths:3292547 Total Recovered:2210547964 WordPress Article Marketing Plugin by SEOPres.s
