The Indian men's hockey team has been ranked sixth, one spot behind arch-rivals Pakistan, in the latest rankings released by the Internationale De Hockey (FIH), the world body for the game.

Indian women do not find a place in the top 10 teams.

Australia, the Netherlands and Germany [Images] would resume their contest for top position at the Sahara Hockey Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Chennai in mid-December this year, an FIH press release from their Communications Director Matthew Slade said on Friday.

Australia have returned to the top of the Sahara World Hockey team rankings in the latest list.  They have reclaimed pride of place after their maiden Olympic Gold in Athens last year.

The change at the top of the ranking was the result of Germany's failure to defend their European Nations Cup title in Leipzig earlier this month, the release said.

"Under the four-year cycle used to calculate rankings points, Germany dropped two rankings places to third after their bronze-medal finish behind Spain and Holland in Leipzig', the release stated.

Netherlands have taken Germany's place at number two and are 51 points behind Australia.

Spain was the biggest mover on the men's table, with their European Nations Cup win elevating them two places to fourth, ahead of Pakistan and India, who dropped one place each respectively.

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