ICC Men's Test Team Rankings

Last updated

ICC Men's Test Team Rankings
Administrator International Cricket Council
Creation2003
(as ICC Test Championship)
Number of teams12
Current top rankingFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (124 rating)
Longest cumulative top rankingFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (109 months)
Longest continuous
top ranking
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (74 months)
Highest ratingFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (143 rating)
Last updated on: 2 May 2024.

The ICC Men's Test Team Rankings (formerly known as the ICC Test Championship) is an international rankings system of the International Cricket Council for the 12 teams that play Test cricket. The rankings are based on international matches that are otherwise played as part of regular Test cricket scheduling, with no consideration of home or away status.

Contents

After every Test series, the two teams involved receive points based on a mathematical formula involving both teams' previous rating and the result of the series. Each team's points total from matches over the last 3–4 years is divided by a figure based on their total number of matches and series played, to give a "rating".

A drawn match between higher and lower rated teams will benefit the lower-rated team at the expense of the higher-rated team. An "average" team that wins as often as it loses, while playing a mix of stronger and weaker teams, will have a rating of 100.

The top ranked Test team was previously awarded the ICC Test Championship mace, until the inauguration of ICC World Test Championship. From 2003 to 2019, the mace was transferred whenever a new team moved to the top of the rating list. [1] The team that was top of the ratings table on 1 April each year also won a cash prize. [2]

Australia is currently the highest-ranked team in the rankings, as of an update published in May 2024.

Current rankings

ICC Men's Test Team Rankings
TeamMatchesPointsRating
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 303,715124
Flag of India.svg  India 263,108120
Flag of England.svg  England 343,679108
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 212,179104
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 222,12196
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 181,50183
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies 261,99277
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 201,52876
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 201,32366
Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 513126
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 3114
Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan 300
Reference: ICC Test Rankings, 3 September 2024
"Matches" is no. matches + no. series played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus half the number in the 24 months before that.

Historical rankings

The ICC provides ratings for the end of each month back to June 2003. The teams that have successively held the highest rating since that date, by whole month periods are:

TeamStartEndTotal monthsCumulative monthsHighest rating
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia June 2003August 20097474143
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa August 2009November 200933122
Flag of India.svg  India November 2009August 20112121125
Flag of England.svg  England August 2011August 20121212125
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa August 2012May 20142124135
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia May 2014July 2014377123
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa July 2014January 20161842130
Flag of India.svg  India January 2016February 2016122110
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia February 2016August 2016683118
Flag of India.svg  India August 2016August 2016123112
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan August 2016October 201622111
Flag of India.svg  India October 2016May 20204366130
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia May 2020January 2021891116
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand January 2021March 202122118
Flag of India.svg  India March 2021June 2021369122
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand June 2021December 202168126
Flag of India.svg  India December 2021January 2022170124
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia January 2022May 202316107128
Flag of India.svg  India May 2023January 2024878121
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia January 2024March 20242109117
Flag of India.svg  India April 2024April 2024179121
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia May 2024Incumbent
Reference: ICC Rankings

The summary of teams that have held the highest rating from June 2003 to the present by whole month periods are:

TeamTotal MonthsHighest Rating
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 109143
Flag of India.svg  India 78130
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 42135
Flag of England.svg  England 12125
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 8126
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 2111
Reference: ICC Historical Rankings

Since the ICC officially began ranking teams in 2003, Australia had dominated the rankings table. However, from 2009, several teams (Australia, South Africa, India, England, New Zealand, and Pakistan) have competed for the top positions.

The ICC retrospectively applied the current rating system to results since 1952 (providing ratings for the end of each month from then). The table only begins then, as prior to 1952 there is insufficient data available due to the infrequency of matches and the small number of competing teams in these earlier periods. [3]

The teams that have successively held the highest rating from January 1952 until May 2003, by whole month periods are:

TeamStartEndTotal monthsCumulative months
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia January 1952May 19554141
Flag of England.svg  England June 1955February 19583333
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia March 1958July 1958546
Flag of England.svg  England August 1958December 1958538
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia January 1959December 196360106
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies January 1964December 19686060
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa January 1969December 19691212
Flag of England.svg  England January 1970January 19733775
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia February 1973March 19732108
Flag of India.svg  India April 1973June 19741515
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia July 1974January 197843151
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies February 1978January 19791272
Flag of England.svg  England February 1979August 19801994
Flag of India.svg  India September 1980February 1981621
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies March 1981July 198889161
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan August 1988September 198822
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies October 1988January 199128189
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia February 1991April 19913154
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies May 1991July 199215204
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia August 1992January 19936160
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies February 1993August 199531235
Flag of India.svg  India September 1995November 1995324
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia December 1995July 199944204
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa August 1999December 1999517
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia January 2000February 20002206
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa March 2000March 2000118
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia April 2000July 200116222
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa August 2001August 2001119
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia September 2001May 200321243
Reference: ICC Historical Rankings

The summary of teams that have held the highest rating from 1952 to the present by whole month periods are:

TeamTotal monthsHighest rating
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 352143
WestIndiesCricketFlagPre1999.svg  West Indies 235135
Flag of England.svg  England 106125
Flag of India.svg  India 102130
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 61135
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 8126
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 4111
Reference: ICC Historical Rankings

ICC Test Championship (2003–2019)

The rankings system was called ICC Test Championship, until the inauguration of ICC World Test Championship in 2019. From 2003 to 2019, the top-ranked Test team was awarded with the ICC Test Championship Mace and the top team at each April 1 cut-off (until 2019) was also awarded a cash prize, the winners of which are listed below. [4] [5] The mace is now awarded to the winners of the ICC World Test Championship. [6]

TeamAwarded
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia April 2003–09, 2016
Flag of India.svg  India April 2010–11
Flag of England.svg  England April 2012
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa April 2013–15
Flag of India.svg  India April 2017–19
Reference: ICC [7] [8]

Calculations

Qualifying matches

Matches that qualify are those played as part of a series consisting of at least two Tests.

Time period

Each team scores points based on the results of their matches over the last 34 years the matches played in the 12–24 months since the May before last, plus the matches played in the 24 months before that, for which the matches played and points earned both count half. For example:

May 2010May 2011May 2012May 2013May 2014May 2015
Between May 2013 and April 2014:Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weightingResults that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting
Between May 2014 and April 2015:Results that were achieved during this period have 50% weightingResults that were achieved during this period have 100% weighting

Each May, the matches and points earned between 3 and 4 years ago are removed, and the matches and points earned between 1 and 2 years ago switch from 100% weighting to 50% weighting. For example, on 1 May 2014, the matches played between May 2010 and April 2011 were removed, and the matches played between May 2012 and April 2013 switched to 50% weighting (the matches from May 2011 to April 2012 would have already been at 50% following the previous rerating). This happens overnight, so can result in teams changing positions in the ranking table despite no one playing.

Find the points earned from a series

Each time two teams complete another series, the rankings tables is updated as described below, based on the ratings of the teams immediately before they played. [9] [10]

Step 1. Find the series points for each team

  • Award 1 point to a team for each match won.
  • Award 1/2 point to a team for each match drawn or tied.
  • Award 1 bonus point to the team winning the series.
  • Award 1/2 bonus point to each team if the series is drawn.

Step 2. Convert these series points to actual ratings points

If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the series was less than 40 points

The ratings points for each team equals:

(The team's own series points) x (The opponent's rating + 50) (The opponent's series points) x (The opponent's rating − 50)

As each match won earns a team 1 series point and their opponent 0, losing earns them 0 series points and their opponent 1, and drawing earns both teams 1/2 series point, each match played therefore earns teams ratings points as follows:

Single match resultRatings points earned
WinOpponent's rating + 50
Draw or tieOpponent's rating
LoseOpponent's rating − 50

As this formula only applies when the gap between the ratings of the two teams at the start of the series was less than 40 points, winning a match will always earn a team more rating points than the rating they already had, and losing a match will always earn a team fewer rating points than the rating they already had. Drawing a match will earn the weaker team more rating points than the rating they already had, and the stronger team fewer.

The difference between winning and losing a single match is therefore 100 points. Also, whether the outcome of a match is a win & lose or a draw, the total rating points earned by the two teams from that match will be the sum of the two teams' ratings before the series began. The total rating points earned from a series will therefore equal the sum of the two teams' ratings before the series began multiplied by (the number of matches + 1).

If the gap between the ratings of the two teams before the series was at least 40 points

The ratings points for the stronger team equals:

(The team's own series points) x (The team's own rating + 10) (The opponent's series points) x (The team's own rating − 90)

and the ratings points for the weaker team equals:

(The team's own series points) x (The team's own rating + 90) (The opponent's series points) x (The team's own rating − 10).

As above, each match played therefore earns teams ratings points as follows:

Single match resultRatings points earned
Stronger team winsOwn rating + 10
Weaker team losesOwn rating − 10
Stronger team draws or tiesOwn rating − 40
Weaker team draws or tiesOwn rating + 40
Stronger team losesOwn rating − 90
Weaker team winsOwn rating + 90

Therefore, again, winning a match will always earn a team more rating points than the rating they already had, and losing a match will always earn a team fewer rating points than the rating they already had. Drawing a match will earn the weaker team more points than the rating they already had, and the stronger team fewer.

For both teams, the difference between winning and losing a single match is still 100 points. Also, whichever of the three outcomes happens, the total rating points earned by the two teams from that match will be the sum of the two teams' ratings before the series began.

Update the ranking table

For each team:

Example

Suppose two teams, initially with ratings of 120 and 90, play a 3-match series, and the team with the higher initial rating wins 2–1:

TeamRatings before the seriesThe seriesRatings after the series
MatchesPointsRatingMatches wonMatches drawnSeries pointsRatings pointsMatchesPointsRating
A3036001202033x(90+50) + 1x(90–50) = 46030+3+1=343600+460=4060119.4
B363240901011x(120+50) + 3x(120–50) = 38036+3+1=403240+380=362090.5

See also

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