Despite having a tumultuous year in ODI performance of the team last year, Indian Men's ODI team remains at the top of ICC Men’s ODI Team rankings following the annual update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on May 11, 2026. The latest update assigns full weightage (100%) to matches played since May 2025, and half weightage (50%) to matches from the previous two years. India holds a narrow five-point cushion over second-placed New Zealand. India's sustained peak reflects their phenomenal, undefeated run in the 2025 Champions Trophy where they beat New Zealand by four wickets in the Dubai final.

These rankings are critical for teams looking to secure automatic entry to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The top eight ranked sides as of March 31, 2027, earn direct qualification alongside co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. South Africa serves as the biggest beneficiary of the update. They gained four rating points to displace Pakistan from the fourth position. Pakistan lost four rating points, dropping to fifth place. This decline stems from their failure to reach the knockout stages in recent tournament cycles.

Shubman Gill to be sacked as ODI captain of India?

Multiple media reports indicate that Shubman Gill is likely to be removed as India's ODI captain. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning a significant restructuring of the team’s white-ball leadership. The driving force behind this decision is the BCCI's desire to unify the white-ball captaincy. The national selection committee prefers having exactly one captain steer both the ODI and T20I squads to streamline tactical planning ahead of future ICC tournaments.

Gill was recently stripped of the T20I vice-captaincy and dropped entirely from the T20 World Cup squad due to a dip in form. Because he is no longer part of the immediate T20I blueprint, he does not fit the "split-captaincy" mold the board wants for limited-overs cricket. Reports heavily project Shreyas Iyer as the frontrunner to replace Gill and take full command of both the ODI and T20I teams.