ICC rankings: India displaced as No.1 Test side for first time since 2016

May 1 (Sports Desk) – Australia have displaced India to be ranked as the No.1 Test team in the world by the International Cricket Council (ICC), removing the Virat Kohli-led team from the top spot for the first time since October 2016. Australia have also been ranked as the new No.1 T20I team, displacing Pakistan, while England have held on to No.1 spot in the ODI rankings.

In the Test rankings, Australia (116) are followed by New Zealand (115) in second place. India are now third with 114 points. With only two points separating them, this is the second closest the top three teams have been since the Test rankings were launched in 2003.

India’s drop in the Test rankings is largely because Team India had won 12 Tests and lost just one in 2016-17, the records of which were removed in the latest annual update. In the latest rankings, results from the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons were weighted at 50 per cent and games since May last year were given a 100 per cent weighting.

India still lead the ICC World Test Championship, a league comprising six series played by each of the top nine Test sides.

“We recognise how fluid these rankings are, but at this time it was certainly nice to put a smile on our faces,” Australia coach Justin Langer was quoted by Cricket Australia. “Ultimately, we have to beat India in India and we’ve got to beat them when they come back (to Australia),” he added.

In the ODI rankings, reigning World champions England (127) have increased their lead over India from six to eight points. New Zealand remains in third place, three points behind India.

In the T20I rankings, Australia (278) has topped the list for the first time since the list was introduced in 2011. Pakistan team which has been the No.1 T20I side for the last 27 months are now fourth with 260 points. England have moved into second position with 268 points while India are up one place to third, just two points behind.