India overtakes Australia to become No.1 Test side in ICC rankings
India has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC men’s Test team rankings, surpassing Australia, after the annual update that excludes outcomes from the 2019-20 season and factors in all series concluded since May 2020.
India’s rating points have moved up from 119 to 121 as their 2-0 defeat to New Zealand in March 2020 no longer figures in the rankings, which assesses series completed prior to May 2022 at 50 per cent and subsequent series at 100 per cent.
India were last at the top for a month in ICC rankings in December 2021.
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Australia have slipped from 122 to 116 rating points as their home series wins over Pakistan (2-0) and New Zealand (3-0) in 2019-20 no longer figure in the rankings, while their 4-0 win over England in 2021-22 has its weighting halved to 50 per cent.
Australia, who take on India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 at The Oval from June 7, were the top-ranked Test side since January 2022. They grabbed the position with the 4-0 series win over England that helped them overtake New Zealand.
England remain in third position but the gap between them and the second placed side is reduced from 13 to two rating points owing to some consistent performances in recent months as well as reduced weightage of their 4-0 Ashes defeat and a 1-0 defeat in the West Indies.
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The other rankings too remain unchanged though 10th-placed Zimbabwe have gained five rating points. Afghanistan and Ireland have yet to play enough Tests to earn a place in the ICC rankings table.
In the men’s T20I team rankings, India have consolidated their position at the top, increasing their lead over second-placed England from six to eight points. New Zealand have overtaken Pakistan and South Africa to third position.
The annual update to the ODI team rankings will be carried out on May 10 after the ongoing Pakistan-New Zealand series.
(With agency inputs)
