Wellington: India enter the five-match ODI series against New Zealand at Napier on Sunday with their No.1 spot in the team rankings at stake.
India are leading the table with 120 ratings points, and enter the series leading eighth-ranked New Zealand by 36 ratings points. If India do not win the series, they will lose the No.1 rank and as many as six ratings points.
India have been at the top since January 2013, when they replaced England.
For New Zealand, a series win against India by any margin will mean that they will push up a place to seventh, ahead of the West Indies. A series loss for New Zealand, however, will not make any difference to their position on the rankings table.
If India do not manage to win the series, either Australia or England could stake a claim on the number-one rank.
Australia and England are currently playing a five-match series, with the home team leading 1-0.
India's Virat Kohli will start the series in New Zealand as the highest-ranked batsman on either side.
