Dhoni starts, Kohli finishes as India wrap up decade atop ICC ODI batsmen rankings

MS Dhoni is arguably the best captain to have led India across all formats. In his nine-year captaincy career from 2007-2016, Dhoni has led India to various triumphs like the ICC World T20 2007, becoming the top-ranked Test side in 2009, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, ICC Champions Trophy 2013 and the Asia Cup triumphs in both 50 as well as 20 overs in 2010 and 2016 respectively. Nonetheless, the 2010s has been an outstanding decade for not only Dhoni the captain but also Dhoni the batsman as well. Here's the reason why.

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MS Dhoni was the top-ranked ODI batsman in 2010

At the beginning of this decade, MS Dhoni had already established himself as a great batsman and as a great finisher as well. In fact, Mahi was the top-ranked batsman in the ICC ODI rankings for the year 2010 i.e. when the decade had started. He was the number one batsman in the 50-overs format for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009 respectively heading into the new decade. However, he could not register a hat-trick as he was dethroned by South Africa's Hashim Amla who went on to consolidate the top spot in One Day Internationals for the next three years i.e. between 2010-2012.

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Why this decade is so special for Indian Cricket?

While MS Dhoni had started this decade as the top-ranked ODI batsman, his successor Virat Kohli has ended this decade as the number one batsman in the 50-overs format. Meanwhile, this is also the third straight occasion where Kohli will be finishing the year as the top ODI batsman. It all began from the year 2017 when he had ended the reign of former South African skipper and his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)  team-mate AB de Villiers to achieve this feat. Mr. 360 was the top-ranked ODI batsman for four straight years between the years 2013 to 2016. Virat Kohli finished with 2455 runs across formats which is the highest by any batsman in 2019. 

There is also a very good coincidence in this ICC ODI rankings as well. While the then Indian skipper Dhoni was dethroned by South Africa's Hashim Amla, after seven years an Indian batsman-cum-captain (Kohli) overhauled a South African (de Villiers) on his way to the top spot in the 50-overs format. 

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