India are aiming to secure their number-two spot in the ICC ODI Team Rankings when they will take on third-ranked South Africa in a five-match series, which starts in Kanpur on Sunday.
India lead the tourists by five points and need to win two matches to avoid slipping behind the Proteas. A 4-1 win for South Africa will put it second on 113 points with India dropping to third on 112 points, but a 3-2 win for the tourists will mean India will retain second spot on 114 points and South Africa getting the consolation of reducing the gap with the host from five points to two.
On the other side of the coin, a 5-0 victory for India would see it advance to 119 points and narrow Australia's lead at the top to eight points. In this scenario, South Africa slip behind New Zealand in fourth position on 107 points.
Meanwhile, the top three batsmen in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen will feature in the series.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers holds a 73-point advantage over his compatriot and second-ranked Hashim Amla who, in turn, is 21 points clear of India's Virat Kohli.
Apart from Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan (sixth) and Dhoni (eighth) are the other batsmen who represent the home side inside the top 10 and will be looking for upward movements during the series.
In the ICC Players Rankings for ODI Bowlers, South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir will need to put up strong performances during the series if he has to retain his number-one position. The wrist spinner leads Australia's Mitchell Starc, with fifth-ranked Dale Steyn not too far behind.