Australia became number one test team in the new ICC Rankings

After the annual report from the International Cricket Council (ICC), Australia became the number one test team in the new rankings. Australia beat India by a score of 209 in the final of the World Test Championship last year at The Oval.

This win helped them move ahead of India in the ranks. Before Australia, India was the number one test cricket team in the ICC rankings. However, ICC Test rankings placed India at second number with 120 points. Hence, these are four points behind Australia, leading with 124 points.

Australia on 🔝

Reigning World Test Championship winners overtake India to claim the No.1 position on the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings after the annual update.https://t.co/rl0Ju11fNu
— ICC (@ICC) May 3, 2024

England is in third place with 105 points, and South Africa is in fourth with 120 points. New Zealand falls in fifth rank with 96 points. Pakistan ranked sixth with 89 points, and Sri Lanka ranked seventh with 83 points. The West Indies and Bangladesh ranked eighth and ninth respectively.

However, all countries from rank four to ninth stayed the same in the same spots as were before in ICC test rankings. ICC said in a press release that the rankings update only considers teams’ performances after May 2021.

ICC stated that the impressive 2-1 series of India against Australia under the captainship of Virat Kohli, which ended in January 2021, is not included in the new rankings.

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They gave 50% weightage to results from May 2021 to May 2023. They included 100% weightage of results from the next 12 months of May 2023. It also included Australia’s win in the World Test Championship.

However, ICC has not changed rankings in the One Day International (ODI) format. India is at the top with six rating points more than Australia in ODI rankings. South Africa falls third, having 112 points after Australia. Pakistan and New Zealand fill the fourth and fifth spots with 106 and 101 points, respectively.

England Team comes sixth with 95 points, and Sri Lanka falls seventh with 93 points. Other teams in the top 10 are Bangladesh with 86 points, Afghanistan with 80 points, and West Indies with 69 points.