Rohit Sharma storms into the top 5 of ICC ODI ranking for batsmen

India opener Rohit Sharma has moved up to grab the fifth position among batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Player Rankings after the three-match series against Sri Lanka which India wrapped up 2-1 on Sunday with an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the final ODI in Visakhapatnam.

Sharma has gained two slots and it is the first time that he has crossed the 800-point mark. Though he has enjoyed a career-high ranking of third in February 2016, he reached a personal high of 825 points after the second match in Mohali when he struck an unbeaten 208, his third ODI double-century. He has ended the series with 816 points.

Rohit’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, named the player of the series, too has gained one slot to reach 14th position after aggregating 168 runs including an unbeaten 100 in Visakhapatnam. Dhawan had slammed 68 in the second match, figuring in a 115-run opening stand with Sharma.

Among their bowlers, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has moved up 23 places to take 28th place after finishing with six wickets in the series, Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has moved up 16 places to take a career-best 56th slot while all-rounder Hardik Pandya has gained 10 slots to also reach a career-best 45th position.

For the visiting side, Upul Tharanga has gained 15 places to reach 36th position among batsmen with his current tally of 571 points his highest in five years. Niroshan Dickwella has gained seven places to take 37th position.

Pace bowler Suranga Lakmal (up 14 places to 22nd) and all-rounder Angelo Mathews (up nine places to 45th) have moved up in the list for bowlers.

There has been no change of positions in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings. India could have overtaken South Africa to take top position with a 3-0 win but that was ruled out early as they lost the opening match on a seaming track in Dharamsala.

Meanwhile, fifth-ranked New Zealand (111 points) take on ninth-ranked Windies (77 points) in a three-match ODI series after having clinched a preceding two-Test series 2-0.

Though New Zealand could lose as many as five ranking points if they go down 3-0 and the Windies could gain six points in such a scenario, there is not going to be any change in the ranking positions.

Captain Kane Williamson (10th) and Ross Taylor (15th) are the leading batsmen for New Zealand in terms of rankings, while Trent Boult (seventh) and Matt Henry (17th) are their best bowlers.

For the Windies, Chris Gayle is the top-ranked batsman (67th) in the absence of Marlon Samuels with captain Jason Holder (69th) next in the list. Holder is also their leading bowler in 27th position.

New Zealand v West Indies ODI series itinerary:

20 December: 1st ODI, Whangarei

23 December: 2nd ODI, Christchurch

26 December: 3rd ODI, Christchurch

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