4 batsmen who can dethrone Virat Kohli from the world no.1 ODI ranking

There's no denying the fact that Indian skipper Virat Kohli is the best batsman across formats at present in international cricket. His name might be debated in parallel with Steve Smith as to who is the better among the two in Test cricket but when it comes to Kohli's prowess in the limited-overs format, the Delhi batsman is miles ahead of the Aussie run-machine.

However, in the past 12 months or so, Kohli's position as the No.1 ranked ODI batsman has been challenged on quite a few occasions. Some contemporaries have emerged as a possible threat to his numero uno position in ODI cricket. Though it is rare that Kohli fails to perform in ODIs where his records are head and shoulders above the rest, consistent performances by a few other batsmen is gradually making the competition stiff for him to sustain the No.1 position in the ICC ODI rankings.

Here we take a look at 4 batsmen who can dethrone Kohli from the No.1 ODI ranking:

---

#1 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Shama might be best placed in taking over Kohli as the No.1 ODI batsman

The Indian vice-captain is the toughest competitor for Virat Kohli. Rohit Sharma, who currently sits just after Kohli in the ranking table, is merely 14 rating-points away to take over the top spot. He finished 2019 with most runs in ODIs, with the highest number of centuries (7). He has had a remarkable year and looking at his current form, his appetite for run seems to grow with every game in the white-ball cricket. With three double hundreds in ODIs, there's no denying the fact that the 'Hitman' is known to play long innings once he's set at the crease. If he can continue his form, the vice-captain will threaten his captain to possibly take over the top spot in the near future.

Follow Sportskeeda for more Cricket news.

#2 Babar Azam

Babar Azam's recent run makes him a good prospect for the future

Ranked No.3 in the ICC ODI rankings for the batsman, Pakistan T20I skipper Babar Azam has grabbed eyeballs for his consistency in the white-ball game. Azam is by far the best batsman that Pakistan has produced ever since the retirement of Younis Khan and Misbah ul-Haq. He is gradually taking the baton forward for the 'Men in Green' in a quest to carve out an image for himself as one of the best batsmen in the world.

The 25-year old batsman is young and is beginning to understand his game much better. He is following a Kohli-esque journey by showing signs of maturity even in Test cricket. If the Lahori batsman can keep himself focussed, there's no doubt that he will continue to rule world cricket for many more years to come. He is one of the contenders to challenge Kohli in a format that has been owned by the Indian run-machine for quite some time now.

#3 David Warner

David Warner has all the ingredients to enter the Top-2 in the ODI rankings

The 33-year old pocket size dynamo, David Warner is yet again taking giant strides in international cricket after his comeback to the Australian team. Warner, who was banned for 12 months in an aftermath of the awful Sandpaper-gate incident, has allowed his bat to do all the talking.

After an Ashes series debacle, Warner is back to his original best in the recently concluded Test series against Pakistan. He even delivered in the World Cup, scoring most runs for his side, and emerging as second-highest run-scorer in the entire tournament.Warner has always been known as an explosive opener who can go berserk at any moment in his innings. His ability to play pace and spin equally well is one of the reasons for his prolonged consistency in ODI cricket. Ranked No.7 in ODIs, Warner, with his attacking strokeplay, has the ability to quickly climb up in the ODI rankings.

#4 Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson's twin centuries in WC guided Kiwis into the knockouts

One of the Fab-4 players of this generation, the Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is an all-format player. His consistency and the ability to perform in trying circumstances make him a modern great for New Zealand. He might be hugely appreciated for his performances in the longest form of the game, but his ODI numbers aren't poor either, it's just that it tends to slip under the radar for the kind of personality that he possesses in the cricketing world.

His glorious run in ODIs can be estimated from the fact that Williamson was also the player of the tournament in the ICC Cricket World Cup for how he led his team to the final. He did the bulk of the scoring for the BlackCaps, emerging as their highest run-getter in the entire tournament. The 29-year old is currently ranked No.6 in the ODI rankings and has got all the potential to challenge Kohli's position at the top of the table. With an ODI series scheduled against India next month, it will be interesting to see two of the best batsman go against each other on the Kiwi soil.