Top spot on ODI charts within India's grasp

India could return to the top of the one-day international rankings as early as Saturday, with the world's best two 50-over teams gearing up for a tantalising series in the United Kingdom.

Fresh off their 2-1 T20 International series victory over their hosts, India will topple England at the summit of the International Cricket Council's ODI rankings at Lord's this weekend should they win the opening two games of the three-match bout.

That would see Virat Kohli's side sit atop both the ODI and Test standings, while remaining second on the T20I charts. India have never been atop both the ICC's Test and ODI standings concurrently for longer than three weeks.

India would then need to sweep England 3-0 to hang on to the ODI crown, admittedly a tall ask given the hot recent form Eoin Morgan's men have displayed in the 50-over format.

Australia were on the receiving end of a 5-0 hiding against England last month, with the home side blasting a world record total of 6-481 in the third ODI.

Since ascending to the top of the Test rankings in October 2016, India have risen to the top of the ODI charts on three occasions but never for longer than 17 days.

Australia were at the summit of both tables in for six months in 2016, while South Africa are the other side to have achieved the same feat, though only for a brief period in late 2014.

However the rankings pan out, the England-India series will be an intriguing glimpse into the two teams' respective approaches and it looms as a potential preview to the standard required to win next year's World Cup in the UK.

Allrounder Hardik Pandya believes India's T20I series win can be a stepping stone to taking out the ODI leg of their UK tour, which also features a five-Test series beginning on August 1.

"We are just enjoying the game rather than thinking about what has got to happen," said the 24-year-old.

"We are just playing our best cricket and when you do that you end up doing well.

"We have a fantastic supporting staff and leaders who give us immense confidence to go and express ourselves."

Pandya played a major role in Sunday's deciding T20 match at Bristol with bat and ball taking 4-38 and scoring a rapid 33 not out that helped India get past England's 9-198.

England left Joe Root out of their side to make room for Ben Stokes, who had a month off with a hamstring injury.

Root has been struggling for form in the T20 game, making nought and nine in his previous two innings, but captain Eoin Morgan said he will back for the ODI series opener at Trent Bridge.

"It was a difficult decision leaving Joe out," Morgan said.

"There is a lot of competition for places and that gives everyone a nudge to be playing better.

"Joe was understanding and disappointed he was missing out but that changes going forward in the 50-over game."

- with AFP.