Mithali Raj and Edwards challenge Taylor's number-one batting spot

There is a huge opportunity for some of the players in the Indian Women's cricket team to rise up in the rankings, an ICC release said.

India captain Mithali Raj and England captain Charlotte Edwards are both eyeing number-one ranking in the Reliance ICC Women's ODI Rankings for batters which is currently held by West Indies all-rounder Stafanie Taylor, according to the ICC official release.

Host England takes on India in a five-match ODI series which begins on Sunday at Lord's as the world's number-one ranked women's team and the holder of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup faces the world's third best women's team.

India opener Mithali, who currently sits in second position, is just 48 ratings points behind the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year 2011, Taylor, while third-ranked Edwards is another 10 points behind her Indian counterpart. A good series by either top-order batter could shake the top of the table.

Edwards' team-mates Lydia Greenway (fourth) and Sarah Taylor (fifth) will also be hoping for rises in the rankings, while India's vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur is currently ranked 15th while Poonam Raut also has a chance to rise from 28th place and break into the top 20 for the first time.

In the Reliance ICC Women's ODI Rankings for bowlers, which is topped by Australia's Lisa Sthalekar followed by team-mate Ellyse Perry, both England's Katherine Brunt and India's Jhulan Goswami have an opportunity to close the gap between the Australia duo.

Brunt, who last played an ODI for England in October 2011, is currently 85 ratings points behind table-topper Sthalekar. Playing in home conditions could prove to be advantageous to the 26-year-old Brunt's bid to reclaim the number-one spot which she last held on 21 October after her side's match against South Africa.

Another former table-topper, Jhulan, will want to find her form again with the ball and take herself back to the top of the rankings which she last occupied back in January 2011.

The series also provides opportunities to England's Laura Marsh (fifth), Jenny Gunn (eighth), Holly Colvin (13th) to make inroads in the rankings while India's Gouther Sultana (10th) and Amita Sharma (16th) could also push for better positions in the bowling rankings.

In the Reliance ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings for all-rounders, which is currently topped by Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies, there are opportunities for Amita (fifth), Jhulan (sixth), Gunn (seventh) and Marsh (eighth) to break into the top four places.