Australia Dethrone India To Become No. 1 In Tests

Australia have replaced India as the number one Test side in the world. The team from Down Under made it to the pinnacle of Test rankings for the first time in four years. Australia also claimed the No.1 spot in T20 cricket for the very first time.

India were dethroned from the top spot in Tests for the first time since October 2016 while Pakistan lost their No. 1 ranking in T20Is after a 27-month period at the top.  In the ICC’s annual rankings update released on Friday, the Tim Paine-led  side has jumped to the top of the Test standings ahead of New Zealand and India, with just two points separating the top three teams.

Australia have currently 116 rating points while New Zealand moved up to second with 115 points in the Test rankings. India, currently ranked third, have 114 points, nine more than England at the fifth position.

In the T20I rankings, Australia have 278 rating points, followed by England with 268 and India with 266. Pakistan moved down to fourth with 260 points, followed by South Africa who have 258 points. On the other hand, England are at the top of ODI rankings with 127 rating points while India, at second, have 119. New Zealand are third with 116 points followed by South Africa with 108 and Australia with 107.

“We have got lots of work to do to become the team we want to be, but over the last couple of years not only have we performed well on the field but we have performed well off it,” said Australia head coach Justin Langer. “We have earned some respect back from other teams around the world but also from Australia.

“When we started on this journey there had been a lot of talk about Australia wanting to be No. 1 in the world in all three forms of the game. We took a different approach. Not once did we talk about being No. 1 ranked in the world, we wanted to be No. 1 in our values and process. That is what I am most proud of,” he added.

ICC Test rankings:

1 – Australia (116 points)

2 – New Zealand (115)

3 – India (114)

4 – England (105)

5 – Sri Lanka (91)

6 – South Africa (90)

7 – Pakistan (86)

8 – West Indies (79)

9 – Bangladesh (55)

10 – Zimbabwe (18)

ICC ODI rankings:

1 – England (127 points)

2 – India (119)

3 – New Zealand (116)

4 – South Africa (108)

5 – Australia (107)

6 – Pakistan (102)

7 – Bangladesh (88)

8 – Sri Lanka (85)

9 – West Indies (76)

10 – Afghanistan (55)

ICC T20 rankings:

1 – Australia (278 points)

2 – England (268)

3 – India (266)

4 – Pakistan (260)

5 – South Africa (258)

6 – New Zealand (242)

7 – Sri Lanka (230)

8 – Bangladesh (229)

9 – West Indies (229)

10 – Afghanistan (228)

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