A viral screenshot of the ICC ODI batting rankings, which indicated the two top players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, were missing from it, caused global rumors on social media that the two veteran Indian cricketers had retired from the format. But a PTI Fact Check investigation has discovered that the assertion is false and misleading.
According to PTI, the screenshot that circulated on platforms like X and Facebook depicted the latest ODI batting chart without Rohit or Kohli’s names. The absence led many users to speculate that both had either retired from ODIs or were removed from the rankings by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Claim
According to PTI, an X user, @Ajayahire_cric, on August 20, shared a purported screenshot of the ICC ODI rankings, which does not feature Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma, claiming that this could hint at the duo's retirement from the format.
“No Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli in the Updated ICC ODI Rankings. Looks like Retirement announcement is on the cards,” read the post’s caption.
Investigation
PTI reported that its Fact Check Desk had looked into the statement and identified the mistake as a technical glitch on the ICC website. The news agency said that on August 20, 2025, both players had temporarily dropped off the online rankings due to a failure in the data update system. The mistake, according to PTI, was misread and translated into viral rumors.
Citing ICC officials, PTI reported that the exclusion was accidental and temporary. An ICC spokesperson explained, "There was an error in our rankings tables today, but it has been rectified." The official rankings after the amendment again had Rohit Sharma at No. 2 and Virat Kohli at No. 4 in the ODI batsmen's list.
The PTI report also emphasized that neither of these cricketers has made any retirement statement from one-day internationals. Rohit Sharma remains India's white-ball captain, and Kohli is one of the nation's most consistent performers. PTI also pointed out that players go missing from ICC rankings only when they stay out of action for a long time or retire officially, conditions that are not valid here.
Emphasizing the deceptive nature of the viral posts, PTI clarified that the screenshot had been captured during the glitch period, devoid of context, and posted online to imply retirement. The agency highlighted that these allegations were "baseless" and "motivated solely by a momentary lapse on the ICC website."
Conclusion as per PTI Fact Check
PTI declared that the viral rumor of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from ODIs, on the basis of their absence from ICC rankings, is untrue. The vanishing was done by a technical glitch, and both players are still active and among the top-ranked batsmen in the world.
