Australia, the reigning ICC World Test Championship champions, have surpassed India to claim the coveted No.1 spot on the ICC Men’s Test team rankings.
In the latest update released by the ICC, Pat Cummins’ side ascended to the top position in Test cricket following their impressive 209-run victory over India in the World Test Championship decider at The Oval last year.
This victory propelled Australia’s rating to 124 points, giving them a four-point lead over their closest rival, India, who finished as runners-up in the World Test Championship last year with 120 points.
England trails behind in third place with 105 points, 19 points adrift of Australia.
The top rankings in Test cricket remain the only notable change, with South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Bangladesh maintaining their positions from fourth to ninth, respectively.
The rankings update considers teams’ performances from May 2021 onwards, with India’s series triumph over Australia in January 2021 not factored in.
Results from May 2021 to May 2023 are weighted at 50 percent, while those in the subsequent 12 months, including Australia’s World Test Championship triumph, are weighted at 100 percent.
While India may have relinquished their top spot in Test cricket, they continue to lead the way in white-ball formats, with a six-point lead over Australia in the ODI rankings and a seven-point lead in the T20I rankings.
South Africa’s third-place position in ODIs and fourth-place position in T20Is highlight their strong performances across formats, while Sri Lanka’s rise in the T20I rankings and Scotland’s improvement in the same format are noteworthy developments.
