DUBAI: Australia overtook India to claim the number one spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test team Rankings after the annual update on Friday.
The reigning World champions reached the summit of the ICC Test rankings, owing to their 209-run victory over India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval last year.
Australia are four points ahead of India (120) and 19 points clear of third-placed England (105) after the annual rankings update.
There were no other changes in the rankings as South Africa (103), New Zealand (96), Pakistan (89), Sri Lanka (83), West Indies (82) and Bangladesh (53) remained unchanged in positions between fourth and ninth.
“The rankings update only takes into consideration teams’ performances after May 2021, with India’s impressive 2-1 series triumph over Australia under skipper Virat Kohli that finished in January of 2021 dropping out of the rankings period,” the ICC said in a press release.
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“All results between May 2021 and May 2023 are then weighted at 50 percent and the ones in the following 12 months – that includes Australia’s World Test Championship final victory – then weighted at 100 percent.”
Meanwhile, India continued their dominance in white-ball rankings as they remained at the top in ODI and T20I rankings.
The Indian cricket team has increased their lead over the second-ranked Australian team by six points in the ICC ODI team rankings.
India is on top with 122 points, followed by Australia (116) and South Africa (112).
In the ICC T20I Rankings Australia (257) has reduced the gap to seven points with India (264). Meanwhile, England are placed at third spot with 252 points.