Numero uno spot in ODI rankings at stake ahead of South Africa vs India series

Dubai: The number one ODI status will be on the line when second-placed India and table-toppers South Africa clash in a six-match series, which starts in Durban on Thursday.

The Virat Kohli led India can top the ODI table if they win the series by 4-2 or better, while to retain the top spot, South Africa will just have to draw the series.

However, India will slip behind third-placed England by a fraction of a point if South Africa win the series by 5-1 or better.

Meanwhile, India captain Virat Kohli continues to lead the ICC ODI Player Rankings for batsmen with 876 points, just above South Africa's AB de Villiers (872). Australia's David Warner is placed third with 823 points followed by Rohit Sharma (816), Pakistan's Babar Azam (813).

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has slipped a place to the 13th spot just above another Indian Shikhar Dhawan.

Amongst the bowlers, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah (728 points) is static at the third spot behind leader Imran Tahir (743) of South Africa and New Zealand's Trent Boult (729).

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel is the only other Indian to feature in the top 10 at the 10th spot with 643 points.

No Indian features in the top 10 of the ICC ODI Players Rankings for all-rounders, which is being headed by Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, followed by Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi.

In the ODI team ranking, World champions Australia meanwhile, have dropped two places to fifth, while ICC Champions Trophy winners Pakistan have conceded three points following an action-packed month of white ball cricket, which saw 17 ODIs being played between seven sides in Australia, Bangladesh and New Zealand.

While the 50-over tournament champions Australia have slipped in the team rankings table, England and New Zealand have been rewarded for their impressive performances against Australia and Pakistan, respectively.

England (116) have moved up to third after gaining two points and New Zealand (115) have risen to fourth after earning three points.

Following a 4-1 series defeat, Australia are now fifth on 112 points, while Pakistan, after being swept aside 5-0 by New Zealand, are sixth on 96 points. The top five sides are still separated by just nine points.

In Bangladesh, the hosts went head to head with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a tri-series, which culminated on Saturday with Sri Lanka beating Bangladesh in the final by 79 runs.

From this series, all three sides retained their pre- series rankings, but Bangladesh conceded two points to slip to 90 and Zimbabwe earned a point to move to 53. Sri Lanka stayed on 84 points.

Also in action will be 11th-ranked Afghanistan and 10th- ranked Zimbabwe in Sharjah; the two sides will contest a five-ODI series in Sharjah from February 9 to 19.