As the sporting world bids farewell to 2025, the International Cricket Council has unveiled the final rankings of the year, confirming which stars have secured their place at the pinnacle of the sport. The lists provide a fascinating look at the current hierarchy of cricket, where established masters of the craft continue to stave off a burgeoning generation of aggressive young talents. From the classic endurance of Test cricket to the high-octane drama of the T20 circuit, the year-end rankings reflect a season of remarkable individual achievements and tactical evolution.
In the longest format of the game, England’s Joe Root remains the undisputed king of the crease. Finishing the year at the summit of the Test batting rankings, Root’s consistency has placed him almost out of reach of his rivals. He is closely followed by his compatriot Harry Brook, who capped off a stellar year by leaping three places into second. While the likes of Kane Williamson and Steve Smith remain firmly entrenched in the top five, the English duo has set a formidable benchmark for 2026. On the bowling front, India’s Jasprit Bumrah concludes the year as the premier Test bowler, despite a spirited challenge from Mitchell Starc and Pakistan’s spinning sensation, Noman Ali.
The One Day International (ODI) arena remains a stronghold for the Indian national side. Rohit Sharma retains his crown as the top-ranked batsman, though he is now being shadowed by a resurgent Virat Kohli, who moved into the second spot following a series of vintage performances. This Indian dominance in the batting charts is balanced by the wizardry of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who ends 2025 as the world’s leading ODI bowler.
ICC Year-End Number One Rankings 2025
| Format | Discipline | Player | Nationality |
| Test | Batting | Joe Root | England |
| Test | Bowling | Jasprit Bumrah | India |
| Test | All-Rounder | Ravindra Jadeja | India |
| ODI | Batting | Rohit Sharma | India |
| ODI | Bowling | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan |
| T20I | Batting | Abhishek Sharma | India |
| T20I | Bowling | Varun Chakravarthy | India |
The T20I rankings have arguably seen the most exciting shifts this year. Young Abhishek Sharma has claimed the top batting spot, displacing Phil Salt after a campaign defined by fearless, high-strike-rate innings. In the bowling department, Varun Chakravarthy has maintained his stronghold as the world’s best T20I bowler, outperforming the likes of Josh Duffy and Wanindu Hasaranga. Meanwhile, the all-rounder categories have seen Ravindra Jadeja continue his legendary run in Tests, while Pakistan’s Saim Ayub emerged as the surprise leader in T20Is, rounding out a year of significant change and enduring quality across all formats.