NewZNew (Dubai) : Virat Kohli has slipped a rung but is still the best-placed Indian batsman at third position in the latest ICC ODI batsmen’s rankings list released in Dubai on Wednesday. Kohli, who has lost a place following South African Hashim Amla’s upward movement, will have a chance to climb up the ladder once again when he takes to the field against Sri Lanka in the five-match ODI series, commencing on November 2.
Only two ratings points separate the second and third ranked batsmen in the table, which is continued to be headed by AB de Villiers of South Africa. India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is steady at number six but Shikhar Dhawan has lost a place to be ninth. In the bowlers’ list, India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have remained at sixth and seventh positions, respectively. Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal maintains his number one spot in the chart.
World champions India are still at number three in the team rankings but South Africa have reclaimed the number-one ODI ranking after five years following the conclusion of the the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in New Zealand. South Africa had entered the series trailing Australia by a rating point. They moved to the top of the table following their 72 runs victory in the second ODI. Although, the third and final ODI of the series in Hamilton was washed-out, the Proteas managed to grab the numero uno position.
This is the first time in five years that South Africa has surged to the top of the ODI team table. It last enjoyed the number-one position in September 2009, before losing the status to Australia following their first round elimination from the 2009 Champions Trophy.
