India remain on top of MRF Tyres ICC Test team rankings

Dubai: The ICC World Test Championship finalists India, New Zealand remain the top two teams in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings after the annual update.

ICC World Test Championship finalists India and New Zealand remain the top two teams in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings after the annual update carried out on Thursday.

India have gained one rating point for an aggregate of 121 and New Zealand are only one point behind after gaining two points in Thursday’s update, which eliminates results from 2017-18.

India’s 2-1 win over Australia and 3-1 win over England over the past year and New Zealand’s 2-0 series wins over the West Indies and Pakistan have helped them keep ahead of the pack.

The latest update, which rates all matches played since May 2020 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent, sees England overtake Australia to third position as England’s 4-0 defeat to Australia in 2017-18 has dropped from the rankings.

Pakistan have gained three points but remain in fifth position while the West Indies, who beat Bangladesh 2-0 and drew 0-0 with Sri Lanka in series played this year, have moved from eighth to sixth, their best position since 2013.

South Africa are in seventh position, equaling their lowest in Test ranking history, while Sri Lanka are next on the list.

Bangladesh have lost five points but remain in ninth position while Zimbabwe have gained eight points but are still nine points behind Bangladesh.

MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings (as of 13 May 2021, following the annual update):

1. India 121 (+1)
2. New Zealand 120 (+2)
3. England 109 (+3)
4. Australia 108 (-5)
5. Pakistan 94 (+3)
6. West Indies 84 (+3)
7. South Africa 80 (-9)
8. Sri Lanka 78 (-5)
9. Bangladesh 46 (-5)
10. Zimbabwe 35 (+8)

Note: Afghanistan and Ireland have Test status but have not played enough matches to figure on the rankings table