India's top-spot in ODIs at stake in New Zealand series
India need to win the ODI series against New Zealand to keep their No.1 ranking intact with Australia and England eying to usurp their spot.
India must win the upcoming five-match One-day series against New Zealand if they have to retain their number one status in the ICC team rankings. (Fit-again Tim Southee ready for India)
India are sitting atop the ICC team rankings table with 120 ratings points, and enter the series leading eighth-ranked New Zealand by 36 ratings points.
If India lose the series, starting Sunday in Napier, they will lose their numero uno status and as many as six ratings points. India have been the number-one ranked ODI side since January 2013, when they replaced England at the top. (Pace won't trouble India, says Simon Doull)
For New Zealand, a series win against India by any margin will mean that it will push up a place to seventh, ahead of West Indies. A series loss for New Zealand, however, will not make any difference to its position on the rankings table. (Cheteshwar Pujara eyes ODI spot)
If India do not manage to win the series against New Zealand, either Australia or England could stake a claim on the number-one rank. (New Zealand can beat India on green tops: Martin Crowe)
Australia and England are currently playing a five-match series, with the home team leading 1-0. Australia are currently in second position, six points behind India.
For Australia to reclaim the number-one rank, they needs to beat England in the ongoing series by a margin of 3-2 or better, and they also require New Zealand to beat India by a margin of 3-2 or better.
On the other hand, England, who sit 10 points behind India in the third spot, need to beat Australia by a margin of 4-1 or better, and also for New Zealand to win its series against India by a margin of 4-1 or better, to become the number-one ODI side again.