Australia’s advantage over India at the top of the ICC Test rankings has grown to nine points, while England has dropped to its lowest position since 1995 following their 4-0 Ashes defeat.
Following a 4-0 thumping of England in the home Ashes series at the turn of the year, and a 1-0 win in Pakistan, Australia increased their advantage over second-placed India in the Test rankings to nine points. They presently have a total of 128 points.
All this at the expense of England dropping to their lowest test ranking for 27 years.
Pat Cummins’ squad increased their lead over second-placed India (119) to nine points in the yearly rankings update, which dropped the 2018-19 season and represents all series conducted since May 2019.
The yearly report from the ICC includes all completed series since May 2019. Series played before May 20, 2021, are now weighted 50%, with succeeding series weighted 100%.
Australia hasn’t lost a Test since Rishabh Pant guided India to a shock victory at the Gabba in January 2021, when they chased down 328 to earn their second-straight series win on Australian soil.
Cummins has led India to an Ashes thumping of England and a grueling 1-0 (3) away series win over Pakistan after taking over the leadership from Tim Paine ahead of the 2021-22 summer, while India has beaten New Zealand 1-0 (2) and Sri Lanka 2-0 (2) at home but lost to South Africa 2-1 (3) away.
“The challenge of winning away, probably in recent times the record of the Australian cricket team on the road, in particular in Test series, that’s probably our greatest challenge,” new coach Andrew McDonald said on SEN radio on Tuesday.
How has India fared?
India has earned a point to move to 119, while England’s 4-1 series win over India in 2018 has been removed from the rankings, leaving them at 88 points, their lowest since 1995. England’s home series against India, which began in 2021, will be included in the rankings after the fifth and final Test, planned for July, is completed.
India retained second after victories against New Zealand, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka at home, with New Zealand (111 points) and South Africa (111 points) vying for third (110). Pakistan (93 points) is fifth, one point ahead of England.
In T20Is, India’s advantage over second-placed England has grown from one to five points. Pakistan is ranked third.
South Africa and Australia have both risen one position to fourth and fifth place, respectively. New Zealand dropped two spots to No. 6, while the West Indies stayed in seventh position.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka both moved up one spot to eighth and ninth place, respectively. Afghanistan has dropped two spots to ninth position.