DUBAI: A 3-0 result against hosts Bangladesh in the three match ODI series will not be enough for second placed India to claim the number one spot in the ICC rankings while a favourbale outcome for the home team will boost its qualifying chances for the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Hosts England plus the seven next highest-ranked sides on the ODI rankings as on September 30 will progress to the Champions Trophy, which will be staged from June 1 to 19 in England and Wales.
Bangladesh are currently level with the West Indies on 88 points but are ranked below the Caribbean outfit in eighth position, while Pakistan are a point behind in ninth spot.
If Bangladesh win the series 3-0, then they will move to 96 points while a 2-1 win will see the hosts rise to 93 points. Even if Bangladesh lose the series 2-1, it will be enough to put them ahead of the West Indies in seventh place by a fraction of a point.
MS Dhoni’s side can reduce leader Australia’s advantage to 10 points should it sweep the series three-nil. In this scenario, Bangladesh will slip to ninth position on 96 points.
If India win the series 2-1, they will remain on 117 points, while a 2-1 loss will mean they will join New Zealand on 115 points but will still be ranked above Brendon McCullum’s side, which is currently in the middle of a highly entertaining series with England and holds a 2-1 lead after the first three games.
Virat Kohli enters the series starting on Wednesday as the highest-ranked batsman on either side in fourth place,
Delhi-born right-hander is one of the three India batsmen inside the top 10 alongside Shikhar Dhawan (seventh) and Dhoni (ninth).
Mushfiqur Rahim is Bangladesh’s highest-ranked batsman in 18th position, five points adrift of England’s Jos Buttler, while much will depend on Tamim Iqbal (27th), Shakib Al Hasan (33rd) and Nasir Hossain (42nd) as the hosts bid to create daylight between the West Indies and Pakistan.
In the bowlers’ rankings, Bangladesh’s Shakib, who hit the 150-cap mark last time out against Pakistan, has seventh-ranked Saeed Ajmal in his sights. The left-arm spinner will also be aiming to hit the 200-wicket mark during the series as he currently stands on 195. In eighth place, he is the highest-ranked bowler heading into the series.
However, India have four bowlers inside the top 20, with Ravichandran Ashwin (12th) leading the way. Five points then separate Umesh Yadav (16th), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (17th) and Ravindra Jadeja (18th). (AGENCIES)
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