Unbeaten India consolidate top position in ODI table

London: India have strengthened their number one position on the ICC ODI Championship Table as they have added two more rating points to their kitty with an unbeaten run in the group stage of the Champions Trophy.

India had entered the tournament on 119 ratings points and have moved to 121, thanks to victories over South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan. England are now ranked second after moving up two places from fourth, thereby pushing Australia to third position. Second-ranked England and third-placed Australia are level on 113 ratings points, but Alastair Cook’s side is ranked above Michael Clarke’s team by a fraction of a point. South Africa has dropped a place to fourth with a loss of one ratings points to 112 following the completion of the group stage. Sri Lanka at fifth and Pakistan at sixth have retained their pre-tournament positions. Meanwhile, among the players, in form Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja has entered the top-5 as he gained three places to be at number four in the ODI bowlers` list. His Spin colleague R Ashwin though dropped a place to 15th. Jadeja has moved up a place to fourth in the all- rounders` list. The highest run-getter of the tournament until the end of the group stage, Shikhar Dhawan, has re-entered the batting rankings in 50th place. Dhawan has scored 264 runs so far in the tournament, with two back-to-back hundreds. The batting table is still topped by South Africa captain AB de Villiers, with teammate Hashim Amla in second place and India`s Virat Kohli in third place and followed by his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Suresh Raina has gained a place to be 14th while out of favour Gautam Gambhir dropped three places to 19th. Others moving in the right direction are Lasith Malinga in 11th (up by one), Kyle Mills in 12th (up by four), Kemar Roach in 18th (up by two), Rangana Herath in 24th (up by six), Shane Watson in 29th (up by two), Stuart Broad in 32nd (up by one), Ryan McLaren in 34th (up by 13) and Nathan McCullum in 38th (up by seven). The highest wicket-taker of the tournament in the group stage with 11 wickets, New Zealand`s Mitchell McClenaghan has jumped 15 places to 41st. Meanwhile, England captain Alastair Cook has moved up two places to eighth in the latest Rankings for ODI batsmen. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has jumped seven places to return to the top 10 and is now at 10th after scoring 173 runs from three matches. Also moving in the right direction inside the top 20 are George Bailey in 17th (up by six) and Ian Bell in 18th (up by three). Outside the top 20, the batsmen moving up are Kane Williamson in 21st (up by nine), Mahela Jayawardene in 24th (up by three), Chris Gayle in 34th (up by two), Joe Root in 35th (up by seven), Nasir Jamshaid in 38th (up by eight), Faf du Plessis in 43rd (up by seven) and Rohit Sharma in 47th (up by 11). PTI