Rahul Dravid, currently ranked second in the LG ICC Rankings for Test batsmen, could reclaim top spot with a heavy-scoring series against Pakistan. With Jacques Kallis, the world's top batsman, looking to build on his position at the top of the rankings in South Africa's current two-Test series against Zimbabwe, Dravid will need to average well above 50 to push his rating points above the 889 mark currently occupied by the South African.

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India has three batsmen in the world top ten in Dravid (2), Virender Sehwag (6) and Sachin Tendulkar (7), while Pakistan has none. Captain Inzamam ul Haq is its top placed batsman in 13th position.

With Shoaib Akhtar missing from the series, India's bowlers also have higher world rankings than their Pakistani counterparts. Anil Kumble is currently rated 5th in the LG ICC Rankings for Test bowlers.

Zaheer Khan is in the top 20, but it is Irfan Pathan who could make the biggest strides up the table this series. Pathan is still qualifying for a full ranking - with 39 Test wickets to date, he gets just under 70% of his full points - but five wickets in the first Test could put him above Khan, and a 15 wicket haul over the series is likely to put him within reach of the world top ten for the first time.

Pakistan will be pinning its bowling hopes on Danish Kaneria, who is currently at a career-best ranking of 14 after his successful series in Australia in January.  Success against India should put Kaneria into the world top ten.