Dhoni reclaims No. 1 ODI spot, India become No. 2

Dubai:

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday regained the number-one batting position while his team returned to the second spot in the ICC ODI Championship after back-to-back victories in the ongoing Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Dhoni, who had started the tournament in third place trailing number-one ranked Michael Hussey of Australia by eight ratings points, scored 38 not out against Bangladesh and 56 against Pakistan.

These match-winning efforts, combined with Hussey's batting failure with the bat against Ireland in Dublin last week, has helped the India captain to jump two places to regain top spot while the Australian left-hander has been pushed down two places to third.

India's successive victories in the Asia Cup also ensured that it returns to number-two position in the ICC ODI Championship.

With India to face Sri Lanka in its last group stage match tomorrow before meeting again in the final on Thursday, Dhoni's side can afford to lose one match without conceding its second place.

However, if India loses both those matches, it will drop to 118 ratings points which will give South Africa possession of number-two spot. Sri Lanka, in that scenario, would rise to 111 ratings points.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan leapfrogged India's iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar into fourth spot while India opener Gautam Gambhir has rocketed seven places to 17th spot after scores of 82 and 83.

In the ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has lifted four places to 14th spot while India's pace and spin combination of Praveen Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja have also made upward movements.

Praveen has jumped seven places to occupy 20th position while Jadeja has vaulted 12 places to sit in 21st position.