India lose top spot in ICC Test rankings for first time since October 2016

XtraTime Web Desk: The Indian cricket team has slipped in the latest ICC Test rankings to No 3. This was the first instance since October 2016 when the Indian team has been dethroned from the top spot. Australia leads the Test ranckings with 116 points followed by New Zealand (115) and India (114) respectively.



In the latest Test rankings released by ICC on Friday, Tim Paine and his team find themselves in the top of the ladder. The rankings were based on matches played since May 2019 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent.

With only two points separating them, this is the second closest the top three teams have been since the Test rankings were launched in 2003. The closest for the top three teams was in January 2016, when India had led Australia and South Africa by a single point.



India had won 12 Tests and lost just one Test in 2016-17, the records of which were removed in the latest update. They had won all five series during this period including against Australia and England. On the other hand, Australia had lost to South Africa as well as to India in the same period.

India still lead the ICC World Test Championship, a league comprising six series played by each of the top nine Test sides.



In the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, reigning World champions England (127) have increased their lead over India from six to eight points. New Zealand remains in third place, three points behind India.