How have India dethroned Australia to be No. 1 Test team without playing any Tests

Team India (Pic: AFP)

Australia's reign as the No. 1 Test side drew to an end after 15 months with the Men in Blue edging past the Aussies ahead of the high-profile ICC World Test Championship Final starting in June.

India taking on Australia in Test cricket has indubitably become one of the most exciting rivalries in recent history and the rankings reversal sets up the World Test Championship Final in perfect fashion, with the two squaring up against each other on 7 June at The Oval.

However, the recent rankings update saw Team India amass 121 points, followed by Australia with 116. It is noteworthy that the two teams have persistently swapped ranks despite not having played Test cricket in nearly two months. Why is this so? It must be remembered there was a change in rating points because all Test series played before May 2020 have now ceased being part of the rating calculations. The cut-off date every year is revised in a bid to not let more than a year-old performance (s) pose an effect on the present-day rankings.

If one looks at the current ranking window, all Test series played between May 2020-2022 will bear a 50 percent weightage, whereas the ones played after this period will have a 100 percent weightage in the calculation of the rating points.

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The two series wins that the Aussies recorded at home, i.e. against Pakistan and New Zealand, are, thereby, no longer taken into consideration. Their 2021-22 Ashes victory too is no longer considered, as seen how their points suffered a massive slump in rating points. India, on the other hand, have reaped benefits from the new cut-off date rule. Their loss against New Zealand in 2019-20 remains nullified, leading to an increase in rating points.

While England are placed third, the other rankings too remain unchanged even though tenth-placed Zimbabwe have gained five rating points. Afghanistan and Ireland have yet to play enough Tests to earn a place in the rankings table.

In the men's T20I team rankings, India have consolidated their position at the top, increasing their lead over second-placed England from six to eight points. New Zealand have overtaken Pakistan and South Africa to the third position. The annual update to the ODI team rankings will be carried out on May 10 after the ongoing Pakistan-New Zealand series.