India puts its number-one ranking on the line

As the two best teams in the world go head to head for a three-Test series starting in Centurion on Thursday, South Africa will overtake India at the top of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship table if it wins all three matches.

With 13 ratings points separating the two sides going in to the much anticipated series, if SA wins all three matches it will move level with India on 123 points but just ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team by a fraction.

Conversely, India can extend its lead at the top of the table with a good showing in Centurion, Durban and Cape Town. A clean sweep with give the away side three ratings points and move it up to an impressive 132 points, which would be a full 20 points higher than South Africa.

For a full view of how the result of that and other series might affect the ICC Test Championship table use the predictor function on the ICC website at http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/match_zone/test_predictor.php. Please note that the ICC Test Championship table is updated only at the end of each series.

On the individual playing front, which can give a good indication of current form going into a series, it is clear there is not much to choose between the teams.

India can boast four of its squad in the world's top 20 batsmen as well as three out of the 20 top-ranked bowlers. But the Proteas are enjoying the exact same number of top-ranked players, not to mention the number-one all-rounder as well in Jacques Kallis.