Number game: Dhoni, Pathan slip down in ICC rankings

DUBAI: India’s 4-1 ODI series loss to the West Indies has seen Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irfan Pathan drop down in the latest ICC rankings. Dhoni began the series in second place in the rankings for ODI batsmen, within touching distance of the top spot, which he held briefly last month before he was overtaken by Adam Gilchrist.

However, a return of only 95 runs from five innings has seen Dhoni drop two places to fourth and he now trails not only Gilchrist but also Ramnaresh Sarwan, up nine spots to second, and  Ricky Ponting, currently in third.

Pathan started the tour in second place in the bowling list, but six wickets in four matches has seen him slide to seventh, although there are relatively few rating points between many of the players in that top group. In the rankings for ODI all-rounders, he has slid two spots and now finds himself fifth.

Rahul Dravid has dropped out of top 10, down three places to 12th, but it is not all doom and gloom for India. Virender Sehwag has moved into the top 20, up six places to 18th, Ajit Agarkar has jumped back into the top 20 bowlers, rising eight places to 13th while Harbhajan Singh is also in the top 20, down one spot in joint 11th, alongside Makhaya Ntini.