Friends Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers clash in No. 1 battle

South Africa and India will play six ODIs from February 1.

Virat Kohli AB De Villiers RCB — RCB team-mates Virat Kohli (left) and AB de Villiers during IPL.IANS

The Test battle is done and dusted. Now, South Africa and India shift focus to One Day Internatioanls. It is a six-match series starting in Durban on February 1 (Thursday). Again, world's top two teams will face off.

In the five-day format, India are the number one while South Africa are second. In the 50-over version, the positions are other way around. The Proteas are on top while Virat Kohli-led India are behind the leaders. Only two rating points separate the teams.

Also read: SA-India series schedule

The "Men in Blue" have a chance to dethrone Faf du Plessis-captained outfit. But it will be a tough taks for India to achieve that. If they have to reach the top of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Rankings again, they have to beat South Africa by 4-2 margin or more.

For the hosts, a drawn series will ensure that they hang on to their position as the number one team.

Hello Durban! Preparations begin for the 1st ODI here at Kingsmead #TeamIndia #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/vNGz9zn0Np
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 30, 2018

Meanwhile, Kohli will head into the six-ODI rubber as the world's top batsman. Opener Rohit Sharma is the other Indian in the top-10, at fourth place. It will be a battle between friends Kohli and AB de Villiers as only four points separate the duo in top two.

Kohli is at the top position with 876 points while de Villiers is close second with 872. Quinton de Kock, another South African, who will be involved in the series, is at sixth place.

ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 30 January 2018)

(Read as Rank, Team, Points)