Dubai: Prolific batsman Virat Kohli is the best-placed Indian at the second spot in the latest ICC ODI ranking list, which also has out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the top 10.
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 tour, is placed at the fifth spot, while Dhoni is at the number 10th spot in the batsmen ranking which was released today.
Among the bowlers, pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and injured spinner Ravindra Jadeja are the only two Indians within the top 10 ranking at 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.
In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen, Sri Lanka batsmen Kumar Sangakarra is the highest-ranked batsman heading into the series 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 Tillikaratne Dilshan who is in seventh place and holds a four-point lead over New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, who is in ninth position.
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. Taylor holds a 34-point lead over Angelo Mathews, who is a further place behind.
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.
PTI
