Australia has strengthened their claim as the best team in the world after extending their lead ahead of India at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, riding on a 4-0 Ashes victory and a 1-0 series victory against Pakistan in the subcontinent.
On Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) released their annual ranking update, and Australia now leads second-placed India by nine points with a rating of 128 points.
The new rankings take into account all Test series completed since May 2019, with series completed prior to May 2021 weighted at 50% and subsequent series weighted at 100%.
India is ranked second on the list with 119 points, followed by New Zealand (111), South Africa, and Australia (110).
It is a well-deserved honour for Australia Test captain Pat Cummins, who recently led his team to a 1-0 series victory over Pakistan to keep them atop the rankings and the World Test Championship.
South Africa’s lead over New Zealand has shrunk from 13 to one point in the latest rankings, thanks to an increase in their rating from 102 to 110 points. Pakistan rounds out the top five with 93 points, with Babar Azam’s team passing England (88) to take fifth place.
England dropped nine points in the latest rankings, from 97 to 88, with new skipper Ben Stokes taking over a Test side that has won just one Test match in the last year.
“That new rating is the lowest mark England have dropped to since 1995, with their 4-1 series victory over India in 2018 now dropping from the rankings,” according to ICC.
However, their rating could improve in the coming months, as their postponed Test against India from last year will be played at Edgbaston in July, and the outcome of that match will be factored into their current rating.
“The rankings contain 10 teams, with Afghanistan and Ireland yet to play enough Tests to be included,” according to ICC.
(Inputs from IANS)