Australia has ascended to the pinnacle of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test Team Rankings, overtaking India.
ICC announced the latest update on Friday, following Australia’s 209-run triumph over India in the previous year’s World Test Championship final at The Oval.
With the update, Australia now stands four points ahead of India, who have 120 points, and 19 points ahead of third-placed England with 105 points.
The rankings from fourth to ninth place remain unchanged with South Africa at 103 points, followed by New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Bangladesh.
According to the ICC, the latest rankings update only considers performances post-May 2021. Consequently, India’s notable 2-1 series win over Australia in January 2021, under captain Virat Kohli, no longer influences the rankings.
The ranking weighting system has been adjusted, with results between May 2021 and May 2023 carrying a 50 per cent weight and more recent outcomes, including Australia’s championship victory, weighted fully at 100 per cent.
On the white-ball front, India maintains its dominance, holding the top spots in both ODI and T20I rankings. In ODIs, India has widened its lead over second-ranked Australia by six points, boasting 122 points against Australia’s 116 and South Africa’s 112.
In the T20I rankings, Australia, with 257 points, has closed the gap with India, which leads with 264 points. England remains in third place with 252 points.
