PTI

Dubai, Mar 5: Two match-winning knocks against Australia in the tri-series finals have propelled Sachin Tendulkar back to the position of world's number one ODI batsman displacing the vanquished Australian skipper Ricky Ponting in the ICC rankings on Tuesday.

Tendulkar is seven rating points clear of Ponting, who had a miserable run with the bat during the series and struggled against young Indian attack. The second-placed Ponting is followed by South African captain Graeme Smith at the third spot.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score more than 300 runs and effect 20 dismissals in a series, is at the 10th spot with 728 points, just five below ninth-placed Herschelle Gibbs.

Dhoni's deputy Yuvraj Singh occupies the 18th position with 691 points.

Meanwhile, the historic triumph has helped India gain three rating points to move just a fraction behind third-placed New Zealand in the ICC ODI Championship table, where Australia's lead on top was trimmed to a bare minimum.

Australia, which entered the series on 130 ratings points, dropped to 127 points, the same as second-placed South Africa but above Graeme Smith's side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

India, in contrast, gained three ratings points from the tri-series which it won 2-0 after today's nine-run win over the Aussies. India now sit alongside New Zealand on 113 points but behind Daniel Vettori's side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, which was third team in the tri-series, dropped one rating point to return home on 107 after failing to qualify for the final.

The scenario has left South Africa's fate in its own hands as it goes head-to-head with Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series from 9 March. If the Proteas sweep the series, it will reclaim the top spot it surrendered to Ricky Ponting's side during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies.

However, if Bangladesh manages to win just one game, Australia will open a two-point gap with South Africa which will drop to 125 ratings points.

With the last game of the series between South Africa and Bangladesh set to be played on 15 March in Mirpur, Australia has been confirmed as the top seed for this September's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan as the cut-off date for seedings is March 12, six months before the scheduled start of the tournament.