India slip to third position in ODIs

India squandered a good chance to become the No.1 ODI team and slipped to the No.3 spot in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings after their 2-4 loss to Australia in the seven-match series.

With the seventh match in Mumbai called off due to heavy rains, Australia reaffirmed their number-one status after dominant 10 weeks of one-day cricket while India lost its No.2 position.

Australia now have 130 rating points. Both South Africa and India have 122 points each but when calculated to the decimal points, South Africa went ahead to occupy the second place.

For Australia, they cap off a superb 10 weeks or so of one-day cricket, having beaten England 6-1 away from home, followed by a victorious performance at the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa and now an impressive series victory over Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team.

Notwithstanding a number of injuries to some of their first-choice players, Australia have showed the world that they deservedly sit atop the ODI Championship table, a position they briefly lost to both South Africa and India in recent months.

As recently as Sep 20, Australia were ranked third behind India and the South Africa.

But but now there are eight ratings points separating them from South Africa. However, with a five-ODI series coming up against England and with Australia concentrating on Test cricket until the third week in January, there is the opportunity for South Africa to close that gap.

Zimbabwe have lost one ratings point following their two-nil series defeat to South Africa and now sit just a single point above Ireland in 10th position.

Rankings:

1. Australia 130 rating points

2. South Africa 122

3. India 122

4. New Zealand 112

5. Pakistan 108

6. England 106

7. Sri Lanka 106

8. West Indies 76

9. Bangladesh 55

10. Zimbabwe 26

11. Ireland 25

12. Kenya 2

Last updated on Nov 11^th, 2009 at 19:21 pm IST--IANS