India Climb Third in ICC Test Rankings, Here’s Why the Change Happened. India has moved to third in the latest ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings. The rise comes after recent performances and the ICC’s annual rankings update. India now has a rating of 104, moving ahead of England on 102. India’s improvement is linked to its recent Test performances.
They have delivered consistent results across their latest matches in the cycle. Strong home performances and competitive overseas outings boosted their rating. Recent matches carry full weight in the ICC rankings system. India avoided heavy defeats and secured crucial wins and draws. These results helped increase their points per match ratio. Consistency across multiple Tests played a key role in their rise.
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ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings
| Pos | Team | Matches | Points | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 24 | 3138 | 131 |
| 2 | South Africa | 19 | 2256 | 119 |
| 3 | India | 25 | 2600 | 104 |
| 4 | England | 28 | 2850 | 102 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 17 | 1717 | 101 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 13 | 1154 | 89 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 13 | 1118 | 86 |
| 8 | West Indies | 21 | 1425 | 68 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 17 | 1134 | 67 |
| 10 | Ireland | 5 | 124 | 25 |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 12 | 117 | 10 |
| 12 | Afghanistan | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Recent England matches that caused the drop
England’s ranking drop is tied to both recent form and the removal of past results. They lost seven rating points in the latest annual update. This drop pushed them from third to fourth position. A major reason was the removal of older series from calculations. England’s previous wins against New Zealand and South Africa were excluded. Their 3-0 series win in Pakistan is no longer counted.
These results were from before April 2023 and have lost full value. As a result, England’s overall rating declined significantly. The ICC rankings use a rolling system over three to four years. Recent matches are given 100 per cent weight in calculations. Older matches are either reduced or completely removed over time. This update benefited India due to its strong recent performances. At the same time, England lost points due to older results dropping out.
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India’s rise is not due to a single series result. It reflects sustained performance in recent Test matches. England’s drop highlights how quickly rankings can change. With small rating gaps, every Test match now becomes crucial.