Who would have thought this? Even a couple of years ago, if someone had said that Australia would fall so bad in the ODI rankings that they would be just one place above Bangladesh, that person would have been laughed at.

However, it is now a reality as Australia have slumped to 6^th place in the latest ICC ODI rankings after a gruesome 5-0 whitewash at the hands of England in the recently concluded ODI series.

While the absence of David Warner and Steve Smith may have made the Australians a weaker team, it is not as though their presence did the Aussies any favours as they Baggie Green have now lost 16 of their last 18 ODI games.

After winning the World Cup in 2015, a downward slope of sorts began for the Aussies. Australia are now two points behind Champions Trophy winners Pakistan and only seven points ahead of the Tigers.

England, meanwhile, have further consolidated their spot as the best team in the world in ODIs. They now have 126 points in the table and are four points above second-placed India.

England’s next ODI assignment is against India and they could lose their top spot to the Men in Blue should the latter be able to beat the hosts 3-0 – ie, whitewashing the most in-form ODI team at their own home.

 

Picture credit: AFP