Babar Azam Slips to Seventh in ICC ODI Rankings; Kohli Climbs to Fifth, Rohit Stays on Top

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has dropped two spots to seventh place in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batters, following a string of underwhelming performances against South Africa and Sri Lanka. The right-hander failed to cross 30 in three consecutive innings - scoring 29 (vs Sri Lanka), 27, and 11 (vs South Africa) - resulting in a loss of 19 rating points, bringing his tally down to 709.

Babar's dip in form has allowed Virat Kohli to move up one place to fifth, with 725 rating points. The Indian maestro hasn't played an ODI recently but benefitted from Babar's slide. Kohli will next feature in India's three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting November 30.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka climbed to sixth after a steady 32-run knock in a 300-run chase against Pakistan.

At the top, Rohit Sharma continues to dominate the charts with 781 points, maintaining his No. 1 position despite a brief break from international cricket. The Indian captain was last seen in action during the Australia tour, where he was named Player of the Series.

Latest ICC ODI Batting Rankings:

• Rohit Sharma (India) - 781
• Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) - 764
• Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) - 746
• Shubman Gill (India) - 745
• Virat Kohli (India) - 725
• Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka) - -
• Babar Azam (Pakistan) - 709

With form and consistency proving decisive in the rankings race, Babar will need a quick turnaround to stay among the world's elite ODI batters.