Table of Contents
As the curtains fell on Virat Kohli‘s illustrious T20 International career, he didn’t just sign off as a World Champion—he also left an indelible mark on the ICC rankings. Kohli, long regarded as one of the finest batters of his generation, delivered a match-winning contribution in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, earning Player of the Match honours with a resilient 76 off 59 balls. But beyond the silverware, Kohli’s send-off brought remarkable, if not unexpected, shifts in the global rankings that affirmed his multifaceted impact on the game.
Virat Kohli defying the numbers post T20I retirement
Kohli’s World Cup final heroics reversed what had been a lean patch throughout the tournament, where he had managed just 75 runs in seven matches. His stellar show under pressure, however, propelled him up the ICC T20I batting rankings—jumping seven places to 40th, an impressive leap from outside the top 50 at the tournament’s start.
Equally intriguing was Kohli’s appearance in the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings. With only one career wicket and bowling just 2.4 overs in more than a decade, Kohli is the definition of a specialist batter. Yet, the ICC’s ranking algorithm—which factors in all disciplines and occasionally enables players to retain spots even without recent bowling activity—saw him finish at 79th in the all-rounder rankings, ahead of the renowned Ravindra Jadeja, who ended at 86th. Jadeja, by contrast, boasts 54 wickets in 74 T20Is and has consistently contributed with both bat and ball, but a tough World Cup saw his form dip dramatically.
These outcomes highlight how the T20I rankings system is uniquely dynamic. T20Is feature a higher rotation of players from associate nations and a weighting of batting and (occasional) bowling contributions, leading to more volatile and sometimes surprising shifts. Kohli’s mammoth batting record—over 4,000 runs at an average nearing 49—heavily buffers his all-rounder rating, helping him maintain a top-100 position despite minimal bowling.
Also READ: Did BCCI push Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma into Test retirement? Rajeev Shukla responds
Kohli being the only player with 900+ rating across formats
The ICC recently updated Kohli’s peak T20I rating to 909 points, billing him as the only cricketer to eclipse the 900 mark in all three formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. This adjustment isn’t just a statistical footnote. It underscores the sustained excellence and adaptability that define his career. From his T20I debut to his final masterclass, Kohli’s run-scoring feats have set new benchmarks: 4,188 runs in 125 matches at a strike rate above 137, with 38 fifties and a memorable century.
As Kohli transitions out of T20Is, his historic climb in the rankings stands as a testament not just to longevity and brilliance, but to the deep resonance his cricketing journey holds with fans and analysts alike. In the ever-evolving landscape of international cricket, his final flourish is proof that legends can ink new milestones, even in their farewell chapters.
