After a day of panic and retirement rumors, the ICC confirmed that a technical error was to blame for the abrupt removal of the Indian stars from the top 100.
August 20, 2025: A day of frantic speculation among cricket fans worldwide came to an end on Wednesday after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that a technical glitch was responsible for the shocking removal of Indian superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the men’s ODI batting rankings.
Early in the day, fans were left startled after they noticed that both Rohit, previously ranked No. 2, and Kohli, ranked No. 4, had vanished from the top 100 entirely. The sudden and unexplained disappearance sparked widespread rumors that the veteran players had retired from the 50-over format, especially since both had already announced their retirements from T20Is and Tests earlier this year.
However, the ICC was quick to identify and resolve the issue. In a statement, the governing body clarified that the ranking tables were affected by a glitch that not only excluded the two Indian players but also mistakenly re-listed several players who had retired or been inactive for over a decade.
Following the fix, the ICC ODI batting rankings were restored to their previous state. Rohit Sharma is back at his No. 2 position, and Virat Kohli is at No. 4, reaffirming their status among the world’s best ODI batters. The list is still headed by India’s Shubman Gill at the No. 1 spot.
The incident highlights the growing public speculation about the futures of the veteran players, especially with a younger Indian team performing well under Shubman Gill’s captaincy. While the players have not made any formal announcements about their ODI future, this ranking scare served as a stark reminder of the end of an era that is drawing near.