India slip to third spot in ICC rankings

In contrast, Australia reaffirmed its number one status even though the seventh and final ODI against India was washed out.

India went into the seven-match series as world number two and needed to win the series to topple Australia from the top slot but Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men could not capitalise on the injury-ravaged Australia’s thin resource and lost the series.

For Australia, it caps off a superb ten weeks or so of one-day cricket, having beaten England 6-1 in their own backyard, followed by a victorious performance at the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa and now an impressive series victory over Dhoni’s team.

As recently as September 20, the Aussies were ranked third behind India and the Proteas but now there are eight rating points separating them from Graeme Smith’s team.

The Australians have 130 rating points to 122 each for South Africa and India, the Proteas ahead on decimals.

However, with a five match one-day series coming up against England and with Australia concentrating on Test cricket until the third week in January, there is the opportunity for South Africa to close that gap.

Elsewhere, Zimbabwe lost one rating point following its 0-2 series defeat to South Africa and now sit a point above Ireland in the tenth place.