Players Who Achieved No.1 ICC Ranking Across All Forma

The competition in cricket is growing rapidly across the globe. It is one of those sports that brings some of the best performers from around the globe together. And ICC often gives them recognition by giving them rankings on their performances. It’s no surprise that grabbing the top spot in the ICC Rankings is quite exciting yet challenging. The ICC considers all of the international matches before declaring the rankings of the teams and the ranks for the players based on their recent gameplay.

Over the years, there have been many players who have successfully ranked No. 1 in their respective categories in a format, but only a few have had the skills and talent to stand at No. 1 rankings in all three formats (ODI, T20 & and Test) of the game.

Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, is said to be one the best batters, if not the best, that the cricket world has ever seen. He has scored 13704 runs in ODIs and 13378 runs in Tests including 71 international centuries ranking No. 1 in both of the formats. He was also ranked as No. 1 in T20Is where he played 17 games, scoring 98 not out in the first official T20I game between Australia and New Zealand in 2005. Known for his destructive batting skills, he’s one of those batters who if not going out, no bowler on earth could stop him easily. He has won multiple championships as the Australian team Captain.

Shakib al Hasan

Shakib al Hasan, the leading run-getter from Bangladesh in T20Is with 2382 runs from 116 innings, is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers to have risen from his country. Hasan is also the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in all three formats with 140 wickets in T20Is, 233 wickets in Tests, and 317 wickets in ODIs. The left-arm spinner also has registered 7570 runs in ODIs and 4454 runs in Tests, the third most runs for Bangladesh, making him a true all-rounder. Shakib al Hasan took the top spot in the rankings as an all-rounder across formats in June 2015.

Virat Kohli

Arguably the best cricketer of the current era, Virat Kohli was the first Indian to join the rank as the No. 1 in the ICC Rankings across all formats. He achieved the No. 1 ranking in Tests after a brilliant game against England in 2008.

Often called King Kohli, he has the best stats in all formats a player can have. Virat Kohli held the world’s number one position in ODIs for the first time in 2013 and was one the top again for more than 1,500 days from 2017 to 2021 in the 50-over format.  Kohli had his dream run in 2016 when he achieved the no 1 ranking in T20Is, while in 2018, he ranked on top as a batter in both, tests and ODIs formats.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah, the pacer from India is the latest addition to this group of elites. Bumrah is the first bowler to grab this achievement.  Currently enjoying the throne as the top-ranked bowler in the ICC rankings, Bumrah achieved this feat., after his match-winning nine-wicket haul in the second test against England in Vizag in 2024.

Within three years of his international career in 2016, the Indian speedster displayed such skills that he was said to be the greatest bowler across all three formats in the modern era. Bumrah had previously held the top position in the ODI rankings from 2018 to 2020. After his six-wicket haul in an ODI against England in 2022, he again found himself propelled to the top. The pacer was also ranked No. 1 in 2017 in T20Is.