INDIA MIGHT HAVE lost the One-Day international (ODI) series against South Africa but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has climbed up two rungs to the sixth place in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) batsmen rankings released on Monday.
Dhoni now holds an 11-point advantage over his teammate Shikhar Dhawan. The jump for India’s limited overs skipper was due to some of his scores which included an unbeaten 92 runs and an innings of 47.
There were also gains for Rohit Sharma (up three places to 12th) and career-high gains for Ajinkya Rahane (up 11 to 27th). Right-handed batsman Rahane scored 247 runs during the lost series.
A number of Proteas batsmen have improved their rankings. Skipper AB de Villiers retains his number one ranking, and is now 96 points clear of India vice-captain Virat Kohli in second place, after scoring three centuries (104 not out, 112 and 119) in five matches.
Hashim Amla has dropped three places to fifth.
There is a career high jump of seven places for Faf du Plessis who is in joint 10th place with wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock who has vaulted 13 places after scoring 318 runs in the series, including 103 and a match-winning 109 in the decider.
South African Farhaan Behardien moved up 12 places to 76th.
In the bowlers rankings, Australia's Mitchell Starc has returned to the top spot as Imran Tahir has slipped four places in the top 10. Dale Steyn has dropped one place to sixth, although Morne Morkel has climbed three places to eighth, and is now six points behind Mitchell Johnson, after claiming seven wickets for 132 runs in three matches.
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has dropped a place to 10th, while a number of other bowlers have made significant gains across both series including Axar Patel (up 19 to 28th), Amit Mishra (up 13 to 32nd), Afghanistan's Dawlat Zadran (up 69 to a career-high 34th), Mohit Sharma (up four to 44th).
Young Proteas paceman Kagiso Rabada has risen 58 places to a career high 49th after being the joint leading wicket-taker in the series alongside Steyn with 10.
There were career high placements for Afghanistan duo Mirwais Ashraf (up 10 to 56th) and Hamza Hotak (up 56 to 84th).
The all-rounder list is unchanged with Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan continuing to lead the way on 418 points.
The ODI series win has helped South Africa retain their third position but has reduced second ranked India’s advantage to two points in the ODI team rankings.
The Proteas went into the series on 110 points, five adrift of Dhoni’s men, but AB de Villiers’ side fought back after conceding early ground to clinch the series in a dramatic final game on Sunday in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, as a consequence of the 2-3 home series defeat, Zimbabwe have stayed in 10th place, a fraction ahead of Ireland, with Afghanistan one more point behind following their historic inaugural series victory over a Test playing country.
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