India vs Australia | All scenarios for securing ICC ODI ranking top spot

As the years have passed, the rivalry between India and Australia keeps growing. Both teams last played an ODI series in January-February 2016, where India visited Australia to play five ODI matches. The home side emerged as the victors securing a series win by a comfortable score of 4-1.

The Aussies visited India earlier this year for a four match Test series where India handed the Aussies a 2-1 defeat. Now, the Kangaroos return for the limited over series and with the top spot in the rankings up for grabs, the tournament promises to be a great one. 

In the head to head records between the two sides, it is the Aussies who enjoy the edge winning 71, against India's 41, of the 123 ODIs between the sides. On Indian soil, they faced each other 52 times where Australia have won 25 ODIs and India managed to get 21 wins under their belt.

According to the ICC ODI rankings, South Africa sit atop the rankings with 119 rating points following by Australia (117) and India (117) in second and third position respectively. As South Africa are not going to play any ODI series till mid-October, both Indian and Australia have the added incentive to dethrone the Proteas.

If India clean sweep Australia then they will have 122 rating points and the visitors will end up with 113 rating points. Even if India lose one game, out of the five, they will still get upto 120 rating points which would be enough to overtake the South Africans. Anything less than that and they would hand the initiative to the Aussies to regain the No. 1 spot. In the scenario that either team wins the series 3-2, South African will retain their top spot.

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