If India beat England in the three-Test series, starting in Nagpur on Wednesday, the hosts would regain the second spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship table.
A 1-0 or 2-1 success for India will take them to 114 rating points and drop England to 111, while a clean sweep by India will lift them to 116 and leave England on 109 -- just one point ahead of Pakistan, the ICC announced here Monday.
Australia lead the table with 129 rating points.
India had surrendered the second position after their 0-1 series loss to Pakistan in the recent three-Test series in Pakistan.
India are currently placed third with 111 - only two points behind England's 113. They have swapped positions twice in the three months.
A 1-0 or 2-1 series win for England, badly struggling with injuries, will be enough to take them six rating points clear of India. And if they win 3-0, they will move to 118 rating points.
If that happens, India will drop down to fourth in the table, below Pakistan.
ICC Test Championship Table
(Read as: Ranking, team, rating points)
1 Australia 129
2 England 113
3 India 111
4 Pakistan 108
{{/usCountry}}4 Pakistan 108
{{/usCountry}}5 New Zealand 100
6 South Africa 99
7 Sri Lanka 96
8 West Indies 73
9 Zimbabwe 27
10 Bangladesh 5