Cricketers to achieve No. 1 spot in ICC rankings in all three formats

Only three cricketers have attained No. 1 spot in ICC rankings in all three formats of the game.

Cricket has now become a global sport, which has made the competition more intense. Every country that plays this sport has some incredible performers who often do well consistently. And those performances are rewarded in the ICC rankings. But it is very hard to top the list in any category. There are only a few who can perform so consistently to achieve the No. 1 ranking in their career.

The ICC introduced this ranking system in 1998, which was started for tests and ODIs, but after the introduction of T20Is, it was also added to the ICC rankings. These rankings include three categories (batters, bowlers, and all-rounders), which are generated every week. Over the years, so many players have achieved No. 1 rankings in their respective categories in a format, but there are only three that have achieved No. 1 rankings in all three formats.

Here are the cricketers to achieve No. 1 spot in ICC rankings in all three formats of the game:

1. Ricky Ponting:

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was one of the best batters that this game has ever seen. There is no doubt about his stats and numbers, and he was one of the most impactful batters of his generation. In ODIs, he scored 13704 runs, and in tests, he scored 13378 runs, including 71 international centuries. He achieved No. 1 rankings in both formats. Then, in T20Is, he played 17 games and was No. 1 for a while. Ponting scored 98 not out in first official T20I game, which is still the highest individual score by a batsman on debut in T20 internationals among test playing nations.

2. Virat Kohli:

Probably the best cricketer of the current generation, not just on the basis of his performance but in all aspects, Virat Kohli was the first Indian to achieve No. 1 spot in ICC rankings across formats. The former Indian captain is the only player to have an average of over 50 combined in international cricket with 12,000 or more runs. His stats in all formats are the best one can have. During his dream run in 2016, he achieved the No. 1 ranking in T20Is, while in 2018, he was the top-ranked batter in tests and ODIs.

3. Jaspirt Bumrah:

India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has become only third player and first ever bowler to achieve this rare landmark. After his match-winning nine-wicket haul in the second test against England in Vizag in 2024, Bumrah jumped to the top of the rankings in test cricket for bowlers to achieve his career-best. With this, he has become the first bowler to achieve No. 1 ranking in all three formats. Earlier, he climbed to No. 1 in ODIs and T20Is as well. He has some incredible numbers across formats.

(List updated till 7th February, 2024)

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