10 Sep 2009

Kirsten urges India to target top ODI ranking

6:32 am on 10 September 2009

India's coach Gary Kirsten has urged his players to focus on becoming the top one-day cricket side, which they can do by winning every match in the one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka.

New Zealand and hosts Sri Lanka are the other teams in the series, which ends on Monday.

It's a warm-up for the ICC Champions Trophy starting in Kirsten's native South Africa on September . 22.

Second-ranked India can overtake South Africa, one rating point ahead, if they win all the games in Sri Lanka.

However, India will be without the explosive opener Virender Sehwag and bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan as both are recovering after shoulder surgery.

India play New Zealand tomorrow.