Perry tops ICC batting rankings

Australia superstar Ellyse Perry will head to India as the world's top-ranked ODI batter, after moving ahead of India skipper Mithali Raj in the latest update to the International Cricket Council's women's one-day player rankings.

Just days after winning the Belinda Clark Award, Perry moved to the No.1 position on the batting charts for the first time in her career when the rankings were updated on Thursday, with veteran Raj - the leading run scorer in women's ODIs - slipping two places to third, behind Perry and Australia captain Meg Lanning, after a below-par series with the bat against South Africa.

Raj posted scored of 45 off 70, 20 (34)  and 4 (21), but it mattered little as her team claimed a 2-1 series win over the Proteas, in what was overall an ominous display of form from the No.4 ranked side that will have been watched closely by Perry and her Australian teammates.

The update means Perry is now the world's top-ranked batter and allrounder in the 50-over game, reward for her remarkable consistency with the bat in recent years.

While she's yet to post an ODI century, Perry has scored 23 half-centuries in her last 35 one-day innings since the start of 2014, with her average now sitting at 50.27.

Australia travel to India in early March and will play the hosts in three ODIs, with points going towards the ICC Women's Championship, before a T20I tri-series also featuring England.

With Lanning hoping to return for the subcontinent tour after missing the Ashes due to shoulder surgery, the upcoming series sets the scene for a battle between the world's top batters.

In other updates to the batting rankings, India star Harmanpreet Kaur dropped two places to seventh after scores of 16, 55no and 25 against South Africa, while opener Smriti Mandhana jumped 14 players to 21 after her player-of-the-series performance, which includes scores of 84, 135 and 0.

In the bowling rankings, South Africa quick Marizanne Kapp remains No.1, ahead of India quick Jhulan Goswami - who India will be hoping recovers from a heel injury in time for the series against the Australians.

ICC ODI batting rankings

1. Ellyse Perry (Australia) - 725
2. Meg Lanning (Australia) - 718
3. Mithali Raj (India) 707
4. Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand) - 683
5. Alex Blackwell (Australia) - 672
6. Suzie Bates (New Zealand) - 668
7. Harmanpreet Kaur (India) - 660
8. Lizelle Lee (South Afric) - 622
9. Natalie Sciver (England) - 609
10. Sarah Taylor (England) - 604

ICC ODI bowling rankings

1. Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) - 653
2. Jhulan Goswami (India) - 643
3. Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) - 626
4. Megan Schutt (Australia) - 619
5. Jess Jonassen (Australia) - 599
6. Shabnim Ismail (South Africa) - 599
7. Anya Shrubsole (England) - 595
8. Sana Mir (Pakistan) - 593
9. Dane van Niekerk (South Africa) - 567
10. Ayabonga Khaka (South Africa) 565

ICC ODI allrounder rankings

1. Ellyse Perry (Australia) - 404
2. Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) - 377
3. Dane van Niekerk (South Africa) - 295
4. Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) - 280
5. Suzie Bates (New Zealand) - 244

Australia tour of India

Warm-up match v India A, BKC Ground, Mumbai, March 8

Warm-up match v India A, BKC Ground, Mumbai, March 6

ODI series

First ODI Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, March 12

Second ODI Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, March 15

Third ODI Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, March 18

T20I tri-series

First T20I Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 22

Second T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 23

Third T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 25

Fourth T20I Australia v India, Brabourne Stadium, March 26

Fifth T20I Australia v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 28

Sixth T20I India v England, Brabourne Stadium, March 29

Final Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, March 31