The cricket world was abuzz with excitement as India dethroned Australia to claim the top spot in the Men’s Test Rankings after a commanding performance on the field. After an illustrious reign of 15 months, the Australian cricket team had to cede their position to the formidable Indian squad, signaling a new era of dominance in the sport.
The rivalry between India and Australia in the realm of Test cricket has been nothing short of epic, with each encounter serving up nail-biting finishes and edge-of-the-seat moments. The latest rankings reversal only adds to the anticipation and excitement surrounding the upcoming ICC World Test Championship Final, where the two powerhouses will once again lock horns in a battle for supremacy.
Set to take place at the iconic Oval stadium on 7th June, the Ultimate Test promises to be a showdown for the ages, with both teams eager to etch their names in history as the undisputed champions of the Test format. Fans and experts alike are eagerly awaiting this clash of titans, eagerly anticipating the fireworks that are sure to ensue when these two cricketing giants collide.
The ratings explained
The world of cricket was eagerly awaiting the annual rankings update, which would determine the pecking order of the best Test cricket teams. Prior to the update, Australia were perched comfortably at the top with 122 points, with India hot on their heels at 119 points. However, with the new update taking into account all series completed since May 2020, the rankings saw a major reshuffle, with India leapfrogging Australia to claim the coveted number-one spot.
The annual rankings update has a complex weighting system that considers all series completed in the last two years. For series completed before May 2022, the weighting is set at 50 percent, while subsequent series are weighted at 100 percent. This meant that Australia’s previous home series wins over Pakistan and New Zealand in 2019/20 were no longer taken into consideration, while their 4-0 win over England in 2021/22 saw its weighting halved. This had a significant impact on Australia’s ratings, which dropped from 121 to 116, paving the way for India to overtake them.
On the other hand, India benefited from the exclusion of their 2-0 defeat against New Zealand in 2019/20 from the rankings, giving them a two-point boost from 119 to 121. This propelled them to the top of the rankings, ahead of Australia, much to the delight of their passionate fans and cricket pundits alike.
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