India reclaim the top spot In ICC Men's Test Team Rankings following a 4-1 victory over England
Published - 10 Mar 2024, 02:34 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:27 AM
Team India have climbed to the top spot in the latest men’s Test team rankings, replacing Australia in the position. Rohit Sharma-led India have claimed the top spot following an impressive 4-1 victory over England in the recently concluded five-match series at home.
India started the series on a disappointing note as they suffered a 28-run loss in Hyderabad despite taking the first-innings lead. However, the hosts bounced back strongly to secure the 106-run victory during the second Test in Visakhapatnam, leveling the series 1-1.
The home team recorded their biggest Test victory, in terms of runs, during the third Test. They recorded a 434-run victory in Rajkot, followed by a five-wicket victory in Ranchi. India took a 3-1 unassailable lead, recording their 17th consecutive home Test series win.
Team India Reclaim Top Spot In ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings
The Rohit Sharma-led side secured an innings and 64-run victory in the fifth and final Test match in Dharamsala on Saturday, March 9. Following the victory, the Indian team climbed to the top spot in the Men’s Test team rankings, replacing the Australian cricket team.
India’s impressive performance has propelled them to the top of the rankings with 122 rating points, surpassing Australia by five points. Meanwhile, England hold the third place with 111 rating points. New Zealand follow closely in fourth place with 101 rating points.
Regardless of the second New Zealand-Australia Test’s outcome in Christchurch, India will maintain their top position in the rankings, as confirmed by an ICC report. Australia currently lead the two-match Test series 1-0 following a 172-run victory in Wellington.
Currently, India dominate across all three cricket formats, securing the top spot in each. In ODIs, they maintain a narrow lead with 121 rating points, closely trailed by Australia with 118 points. In T20I cricket, India holds a significant lead with 266 rating points.
Earlier, India enjoyed the leading position across all cricket formats from September 2023 to January 2024. However, their Test ranking dropped to second after a drawn series against South Africa, allowing Australia to claim the top spot following a 3-0 win over Pakistan.
Additionally, the Men in Blue maintain their dominance in the ICC World Test Championship table, as they also lead the table with an impressive points percentage of 68.51.
Everything Has To Fall In Place – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma acknowledged the contributions of less experienced players who responded admirably under pressure. Rohit emphasized the significance of taking wickets alongside scoring runs, crediting the bowlers for their crucial role in securing the win.
“When you win a Test like this, everything has to fall in place. At some stage, people are gonna and people are gonna come and we know that,” Rohit Sharma said at the post-match presentation.
“These guys are maybe short of experience, they have played a lot of cricket and I can stand here and see that these guys responded pretty well under pressure. The credit goes to the entire team and it was pleasing to see. When you win a series like this, we talk about scoring runs and 100s but it is important to take 20 wickets to win a Test. The way bowlers took responsibility was pleasing to see,” Rohit added.
