England aim to beat India to cement top-spot

DUBAI: England will be aiming to carry their Test form into the ODIs and win their first series in India in 28 years, to cement their status as the number-one side in the ICC ODI ranking.

India face England in a five-match series starting on January 11 in Rajkot.

England currently lead second-ranked South Africa who play New Zealand in a three-match series from January 19, by a fraction of a point, but will take an outright lead on the championship table if they are successful in winning the series against India regardless of the outcome of South Africa-New Zealand series.

However, England’s failure to win the series will give both India and South Africa opportunities to reclaim the top spot.

If India win all five matches of the series, they will climb two places to top-spot, while South Africa can only reach the number-one spot if they win all three matches against New Zealand and India win the series against England without completing a clean sweep.

No fewer than seven batsmen featuring in the top 10 of the ICC ODI batsmen Ranking are likely to figure in the India-England, Australia-Sri Lanka and South Africa-New Zealand series.

Hashim Amla currently leads the pack with his team-mate AB de Villiers at second. India’s Virat Kohli in the third-spot leads his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni by 35 points.

It is expected that the series will result in fewer changes at the top of the ICC ODI bowlers Rankings, where number-one Saeed Ajmal of Pakistan is currently enjoying a comfortable lead over second-placed team-mate Mohammad Hafeez.

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