Cricket fans were left in shock when the new ICC ODI player rankings, released on August 20, 2025, indicated two of the sport's biggest icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, absent from the top 100. Only a week before, Rohit had reached the No. 2 position, and Kohli was at No. 4 comfortably. Their sudden absence not only left fans in shock but also initiated speculations regarding whether the legends had quietly retired from ODI cricket as well. But the reality was something quite different. Why Were Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Dropped? Where is Rohit sharma & Virat Kohli from ODI ranking list🤔... #MensODIrankinglist pic.twitter.com/jHiopPClo2 — Jinil Jani (@trendswithjinil) August 20, 2025 The initial assumption that most fans had was concerning ICC's inactivity rule. The rules state that if a player does not play ODIs for over 9-12 months or if they had retired, then they are removed from the rankings. This did not hold true in this case, however. Both Kohli and Rohit's last games were played in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and their last ODIs were played on March 9, 2025, hardly five months ago. This implies that the rule of inactivity would not have been the cause of their exclusion. Also Read | Watch: Rohit Sharma’s Blooper from Champions Trophy 2025 Final Goes Viral ICC Rankings Glitch Revealed Things got more confusing as the fans scrolled down. Not only were Rohit and Kohli nowhere to be found, but strangely enough, a number of long-retired or inactive players were back in the rankings. Players like Steve Tikolo, Faf du Plessis, Jason Roy, Tanmay Mishra, Babar Hayat, and even others who hadn't played ODIs for years were suddenly visible. This hinted at a technical failure instead of a conscious omission. Restoration of the Correct Rankings Later in the day, ICC verified that the glitch was corrected. The rankings were corrected with inactive players being dropped out and both Rohit Sharma (No. 2) and Virat Kohli (No. 4) being reinstated into their proper positions. Along with this, the update also registered ordinary weekly fluctuations in other divisions. South African bowler Keshav Maharaj took over the No. 1 ranking among ODI bowlers, while a number of shifts took place in batting and all-rounders rankings as usual. Also Read | Virat Kohli Likely to Play Australia ODI Series Amid Retirement Rumors Why the Confusion Felt So Real One of the reasons for the panic was that Rohit as well as Kohli had retired from T20Is and Tests already this year. When there were only ODIs remaining in their international careers, the fans immediately assumed the worst upon not seeing their names. The silence of ICC within the first few hours only added to speculation and gave rise to trending topics throughout social media regarding if India's iconic pair had pulled out of ODIs as well.