Whitewash of Windies won't be enough for India to get top T20I rank

A whitewash of the West Indies in the forthcoming two-match Twenty20 International series in Florida on August 27-28 will still not help second-placed India climb to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 rankings.

India currently trail top-placed New Zealand (132 points) by four points, while third-ranked West Indies are on 122 points.

A 2-0 win for India, will help them join number one ranked New Zealand on 132 points but the Asian side will be ranked second when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

In this scenario, the West Indies will slip to fourth position with 118 points, one point behind South Africa.

A 1-1 series draw will keep India ahead on 128 points with West Indies on 123 points.

Windies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite, who had smashed four consecutive sixes to wrap up this year's World Twenty20 final against England in Kolkata, will aim to help his side win the series 2-0 and move to second place on 127 points and push India to third place on 124 points.

On the other hand, India's Test captain Virat Kohli heads T20I batsmen rankings with 837 points. With Australia's Aaron Finch only 34 points behind, Kohli will be looking to consolidate his position at the top.

Rohit Sharma is the next highest ranked India batsman in 23rd position, while Dhoni, who had led India to victory in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 title in 2007, is in 50th position but the likelihood of getting more batting opportunities could see him rise in the ranks.

For the West Indies, big-hitting opener Chris Gayle (eighth) and experienced batsman Marlon Samuels (17th) will be looking to move up the ranks with Lendl Simmons (31st), Dwayne Bravo (37th) and Andre Fletcher (48th) also trying to climb the ladder.

The West Indies have two slow bowlers up on the table as top-ranked leg-spinner Samuel Badree and fourth-ranked off-spinner Sunil Narine will be out to garner points with medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo (39th) the next best on the list.

For India, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is in second position in the T20I bowlers rankings after a creditable show in Zimbabwe a few months ago when India won the T20I series 2-1.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the other India bowler inside the top 10 in seventh position, while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is in 19th spot.

Marlon Samuels is the best-ranked all-rounder from either side at fifth position.

--IANS

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