India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni has moved up to
second position overtaking Australian captain Ricky Ponting in the latest
ICC Player rakings for ODI batsmen. This is Dhoni`s highest ranking
since May 2006. 
The 25-year-old, who had briefly reigned the rankings chart last year, has
just completed a successful four-match series against Sri Lanka, having scored
115 runs in two innings, including a match-winning 67 not out in the third ODI
at Margao.
He averages 46.61 in ODIs with a remarkable career strike-rate of 98.49.
Ponting, who did not play in Australia`s 3-0 series defeat
to New Zealand which concluded yesterday, is in third position while
his compatriot and stand-in captain Michael Hussey continues to occupy the top
spot. Hussey is the only batsman currently holding more than 800 ratings points
(817).
Dhoni`s India team-mate Yuvraj Singh is up five places to 15th position, now
just two places behind Rahul Dravid while Sachin Tendulkar slid one place from
19th position to barely manage his place in the top 20.
West Indies all-rounder Chris Gayle has moved up two places
to number five while other players on an upward move include Matthew Hayden
(up 11 places to 23rd spot) and Stephen Fleming (up four places to 24th).
Following New Zealand`s 3-0 clean sweep of Australia, Fleming`s
side has moved ahead of Pakistan into third place in the ICC ODI championship,
a timely boost for the team ahead of the upcoming ICC cricket World Cup
in the West Indies.
Despite its recent run of defeats, Australia still boasts four batsmen in the
top ten.
South Africa`s Shaun Pollock is now a phenomenal 157 ratings points clear at
the top of the ICC player rankings for ODI bowlers.
With his side now leading the ICC ODI championship, Pollock
is enjoying a timely peak in form with the ICC cricket World Cup in the West
Indies now less than three weeks away. The 33-year-old KwaZulu natal all-rounder
is now way out in front from Glenn McGrath of Australia in second, Pollock’s
Proteas team-mate Makhaya Ntini in third and Kiwi Daniel Vettori in fourth.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas, who incidentally
shares a birthday with Vettori, is just one place behind the slow left-armer
having moved up two places past Australia`s Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken.
Interestingly, Bracken has fallen from second place to eighth in the 25 days
since Australia day (26 January).
New Zealand`s Shane Bond is also hitting his straps at the right time, following
a good series against Australia. He is up three places to seventh spot in the
latest LG ICC player rankings for ODI bowlers.
Spinner Harbhajan Singh, who lost one place to be at
13th spot, and paceman Ajit Agarkar, climbing three places to be 14th, were
India`s highest ranked bowlers.
Pollock is still number one in the ICC player rankings for
ODI all-rounders from Gayle in second place and England`s Andrew Flintoff
in third position. The only move in the top five is Jacques Kallis, who has
gone up one place into fourth, past Sri Lanka veteran Sanath Jayasuriya.
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