October saw India and Australia lock horns in the battle to become the highest ranked cricket team in the world, and the men in blue came out on top against a very spirited Australian side who fought till the end. Meanwhile Bangladesh utilized their home conditions to convincingly put away a lacklustre Newzealand side, who looked desperately out of place in these sub-continental pitches.
A low-key month in terms of the number of matches played, but there was some fantastic cricket on show, as the game looks to be undergoing a transitional phase with so much of T-20 cricket being played.
Here are the ODI Team Rankings for the month of October :-
1. India (Rating: 123)
The Men in Blue got off to a sloppy start in the home series against Australia, conceding two of the first three games, but were dominant in the last couple of games as they rallied to a 3-2 series victory. The batting clicked, with the exceptions of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, and the bowling looks to be in good shape with the likes of Shami Ahmed stepping up to the plate.
2. Australia (Rating : 114)
The Kangaroos were whacked all over the park by the stylish Rohit Sharma at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium last week, as they succumbed to the superior batting prowess of their hosts. But the likes of James Faulkner and George Bailey putting together strong performances in subcontinental conditions will be something positive for the Australians to take home.
3. England (Rating : 111)
England are currently perched in the third place in the latest ICC ODI Rankings as they prepare for a tough season, beginning with the First test against Australia at the Gabba later this month.
4. Sri Lanka (Rating : 111)
Sri Lanka’s last ODI assignment was in the month of July as they were supremely dominant in a 4-1 triumph over South Africa, and the Islanders retain their fourth position in the latest ODI rankings.
5. South Africa (Rating : 105)
The Proteas narrowly edged the 1st ODI against Pakistan at Sharjah before losing the 2nd ODI by a massive 66 runs, and they would need to improve significantly to move higher than their current fifth position.
6. Pakistan (Rating: 101)
Pakistan played their first ODI match for close to three months when they took the field against South Africa at Sharjah, and the would look to utilize the conditions to their advantage in the remaining three ODI games.
7. West Indies (Rating : 89)
West Indies make the trip to India for their first competitive match since the last week of July, and the lack of cricket has reflected in their rankings as they languish at the seventh place.
8. New Zealand (Rating : 84)
A 3-0 series defeat at the hands of Bangladesh doesn’t bode well for New Zealand cricket. Tough times ahead for the Black Caps, as they gear up for a 3 match ODI series with Sri Lanka.
9. Bangladesh (Rating : 83)
Bangladesh consolidated the ninth position with a 3-0 rout of the Kiwis, in what was a emphatic series triumph for them.
10. Zimbabwe (Rating: 55)
Zimbabwe complete the Top 10, but are miles behind the rest of the pack.