South Africa v England Home | Squads | History | News
Scores Upcoming Results
15-Dec-2009 12:28:00 GMT
ICC Rating

South Africa Can End India's No. 1 Stint

Dubai: India's stay at the top of ICC Test rankings might end as early as next month if South Africa beat England 2-0 or better in their four-match home series starting on Wednesday at Centurion.

The Proteas, who lost their coveted position to India on December 6 after Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men beat Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-match Test series, will need to beat England by 2-0 or better to reclaim the top spot.

A 2-0 or 3-1 series win will put South Africa on par with India but ahead of Dhoni's side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point while a 4-0 win will take Graeme Smith's side to 127 ratings points.

At present, India top the table with 124 rating points, followed by South Africa (122).

England have a chance to leapfrog South Africa into fourth position but for that to happen, Andrew Strauss' side will need to win all its matches in the series.

A 4-0 series win will put England alongside South Africa on 113 ratings points but ahead of the Proteas when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

While a convincing 2-0 or 3-1 series win will strengthen England's hold on fifth position, it will affect South Africa's ranking and the hosts would drop to 116 ratings points and possibly in third position, depending on how the Perth Test between Australia and the West Indies pans out.

In the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, Indian opener Gautam Gambhir tops the chart while Virender Sehwag (5th) is the only other Indian in top 10.

In the bowlers' chart, Harbhajan Singh (6th) and Zaheer Khan (10th) clung on to their top 10 positions.


Scores Upcoming Results
Related links
Series/Tournaments:
England tour of South Africa, 2009/10
Team:
South Africa | India | England
England tour of South Africa, 2009/10 News
England Fined For Slow Over Rate in Final Test [+]
England players have been fined for their team's slow over rate in the final Test at the Wanderers which South Africa won by an innings and 74 runs on Sunday.
Career-best Rankings for Smith and Morkel [+]
Graeme Smith, the South African captain, and Morne Morkel, one half of his hostile new-ball pair, have climbed to career-best rankings after South Africa's resounding victory in the fourth Test at the Wanderers.
South Africa Level Test Series in Style [+]
South Africa won the final Test by an innings and 74 runs, bowling England out for 169 just before lunch on the fourth day to level the series at 1-1.
England on Course For Heavy Defeat in Final Test [+]
England look set for a heavy defeat in the final Test at the Wanderers as they end day three on 48-3, still trailing South Africa by 195 runs.
Smith Century Puts South Africa on Top [+]
Graeme Smith hit a century as South Africa took control before heavy rain stopped play on the second day of the fourth and final Test against England.
Morkel and Steyn Rout England For 180, SA 29/0 [+]
South Africa's fast bowlers took advantage of helpful conditions as England crashed to 180 all out on the first day of the fourth Test at the Wanderers Stadium.
Friedel de Wet to Mss England Final Test [+]
South Africa paceman Friedel de Wet will miss the fourth and final Test against England after suffering a recurrence of a back problem in the third Test.
SA Withdraw Tahir Over Eligibility Fears [+]
South Africa have withdrawn Pakistan-born leggie Imran Tahir from their squad for fourth Test against England because of fears over his eligibility.
England Duo Reject Ball-tampering Claims [+]
James Anderson and Stuart Broad both insisted they had nothing to be ashamed of after being caught up in suggestions of ball-tampering.
South Africa Call Parnell, Tahir for Final Test [+]
Left-arm swing bowler Wayne Parnell and leg-spinner Imran Tahir have been added to South Africa's squad for the fourth Test against England.

Top