Prolific batsman Virat Kohli is the best-placed Indian at the second spot in the latest International Cricket Council One-Day International rankings, which also has out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the top 10.
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Kohli, who is currently leading India against Australia in the fourth and final Test in Sydney, has 862 points in his kitty, still 25 points behind AB de Villiers of South Africa, who is heading the list.
Dhawan, who has been in poor form in the Australia Test series, is placed at the fifth spot, while Dhoni is at the number 10th spot in the batsmen ranking which was released on Friday.
Among the bowlers, pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and injured spinner Ravindra Jadeja are the only two Indians within the top 10 ranking in the eighth and ninth spot respectively.
There are several permutations that could emerge over the coming weeks as Australia, England and India are also set to face off in a tri-series in Australia, while New Zealand and Sri Lanka go head to head in a seven-match ODI series, starting in Christchurch on Sunday.
All of the competing sides and their players will have an opportunity to progress ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, starting on February 14.
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakarra is the highest-ranked batsman heading into ODI series against the Kiwis and he lies in fourth place on 811 points, 17 points adrift of South Africa's Hashim Amla.
Sangakarra is joined by his team-mate Tillakaratne Dilshan who is in seventh place and holds a four-point lead over New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who is in ninth position.
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His compatriot Ross Taylor is one place outside of the top-10 in 11th spot and will be aiming to reduce India skipper Dhoni's 16-point advantage.
Amongst the other batsmen who are likely to feature in the series are Mahela Jayawardena (23rd), Martin Guptill (27th), Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum (33rd) and Lahiru Thirimanne (45th).
In the rankings for ODI Bowlers, seventh-ranked Sri Lanka spinner Sachithra Senanayake will be looking to reduce James Anderson's 22-point gap. Fourteenth-placed Rangana Herath is the other Sri Lanka bowler inside the top 20, while Kyle Mills is the hosts' highest-ranked bowler in 22nd place. Veteran left-armer Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee are tied on 593 points in 26th position in the rankings.
ICC ODI rankings for batsmen (Top 10):
Pos. |
Rating |
Player |
1 |
887 |
AB de Villiers (South Africa) |
2 |
862 |
Virat Kohli (India) |
3 |
828 |
Hashim Amla (South Africa) |
4 |
811 |
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) |
5 |
777 |
Shikhar Dhawan (India) |
6 |
771 |
George Bailey (Australia) |
7 |
750 |
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) |
8 |
749 |
Quinton de Kock (South Africa) |
9 |
746 |
Kane Williamson (New Zealand |
10 |
738 |
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India) |
ICC ODI rankings for bowlers: (Top 10):
Pos. |
Rating |
Player |
1 |
753 |
Sunil Narine (West Indies) |
2 |
751 |
Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan) |
3 |
699 |
Dale Steyn (South Africa) |
4 |
680 |
Mitchell Johnson (Australia) |
5 |
680 |
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) |
6 |
666 |
James Anderson (England) |
7 |
644 |
Sachithra Senanayake (Sri Lanka) |
8 |
641 |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) |
9 |
638 |
Ravindra Jadeja (India) |
10 |
634 |
Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan) |
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