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ICC Men's Test Team Rankings

{{short description|Test cricket ranking system}}

{{redirect|ICC Test Championship|the league competition|ICC World Test Championship}}

{{See also|ICC Test Championship Mace}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox cricket rankings

| name = ICC Men's Test Team Rankings

| administrator = International Cricket Council

| creation = 2003
(as ICC Test Championship)

| total_teams = 12

| current = {{cr|AUS}} (126 rating)

| cumulative = {{cr|AUS}} (109 months)

| continuous = {{cr|AUS}} (74 months)

| highest = {{cr|AUS}} (143 rating)

| updated = 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.

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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20111005160909/http://cricketnext.in.com/news/england-presented-with-test-mace/59674-13.html cricketnext – England presented with Test mace]. Retrieved 22 August 2011 The team that was top of the ratings table on 1 April each year also won a cash prize.{{cite news|title=Outcomes from the ICC Board and Committee meetings|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2015/media-releases/90049/outcomes-from-the-icc-board-and-committee-meetings|access-date=27 January 2016|publisher=ICC|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207162636/http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2015/media-releases/90049/outcomes-from-the-icc-board-and-committee-meetings|archive-date=7 February 2016}}

Current rankings

{{ICC Test Championship rankings}}

Historical rankings

The ICC provides ratings for the end of each month back to June 2003. Until the inauguration of the ICC World Test Championship in 2019, the team leading the ratings at any point were also awarded the Test Championship Mace. A cash prize was given to the team leading the Championship at the start of each April.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/101213.html |title=Waugh receives ICC Test trophy |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=18 August 2014}}{{cite news|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/183562|title=David Richardson presents ICC Test Championship mace to Misbah-ul-Haq|work=International Cricket Council|date=21 September 2016|access-date=22 May 2021}}

The teams that have successively held the highest rating since that date, by whole month periods are:

class="wikitable sortable"
Team

! Start

! End

! Total months

! Cumulative months

! Highest rating

{{cr|AUS}}June 2003August 20097474143
{{cr|SA}}August 2009November 200933122
{{cr|IND}}November 2009August 20112121125
{{cr|ENG}}August 2011August 20121212125
{{cr|SA}}August 2012May 20142124135
{{cr|AUS}}May 2014July 2014377123
{{cr|SA}}July 2014January 20161842130
{{cr|IND}}January 2016February 2016122110
{{cr|AUS}}February 2016August 2016683118
{{cr|IND}}August 2016August 2016123112
{{cr|PAK}}August 2016October 201622111
{{cr|IND}}October 2016May 20204366130
{{cr|AUS}}May 2020January 2021891116
{{cr|NZL}}January 2021March 202122118
{{cr|IND}}March 2021June 2021369122
{{cr|NZL}}June 2021December 202168126
{{cr|IND}}December 2021January 2022170124
{{cr|AUS}}January 2022May 202316107128
{{cr|IND}}May 2023January 2024878121
{{cr|AUS}}January 2024March 20242109117
{{cr|IND}}April 2024April 2024179121
style="background:gold;" |{{cr|AUS}}May 2024Incumbent
colspan=6|Reference: ICC Rankings

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

class="wikitable sortable"
Team

! Total Months

! Highest Rating

{{cr|AUS}}109143
{{cr|IND}}78130
{{cr|SA}}42135
{{cr|ENG}}12125
{{cr|NZL}}8126
{{cr|PAK}}2111
colspan=5|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.{{cite web|title=Historical rankings |url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/match_zone/historical_ranking.php |access-date=28 March 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107124239/http://www.icc-cricket.com/match_zone/historical_ranking.php |archive-date=7 November 2012|work=International Cricket Council}}

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

class="wikitable sortable"
Team

! Start

! End

! Total months

! Cumulative months

{{cr|AUS}}January 1952May 19554141
{{cr|ENG}}June 1955February 19583333
{{cr|AUS}}March 1958July 1958546
{{cr|ENG}}August 1958December 1958538
{{cr|AUS}}January 1959December 196360106
{{cr|WIN}}January 1964December 19686060
{{cr|SA|1928}}January 1969December 19691212
{{cr|ENG}}January 1970January 19733775
{{cr|AUS}}February 1973March 19732108
{{cr|IND}}April 1973June 19741515
{{cr|AUS}}July 1974January 197843151
{{cr|WIN}}February 1978January 19791272
{{cr|ENG}}February 1979August 19801994
{{cr|IND}}September 1980February 1981621
{{cr|WIN}}March 1981July 198889161
{{cr|PAK}}August 1988September 198822
{{cr|WIN}}October 1988January 199128189
{{cr|AUS}}February 1991April 19913154
{{cr|WIN}}May 1991July 199215204
{{cr|AUS}}August 1992January 19936160
{{cr|WIN}}February 1993August 199531235
{{cr|IND}}September 1995November 1995324
{{cr|AUS}}December 1995July 199944204
{{cr|SA}}August 1999December 1999517
{{cr|AUS}}January 2000February 20002206
{{cr|SA}}March 2000March 2000118
{{cr|AUS}}April 2000July 200116222
{{cr|SA}}August 2001August 2001119
{{cr|AUS}}September 2001May 200321243
colspan=5|Reference: ICC Historical Rankings

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

class="wikitable sortable"
Team

! Total months

! Highest rating

{{cr|AUS}}352143
{{cr|WIN }}235135
{{cr|ENG}}106125
{{cr|IND}}102130
{{cr|SA}}61135
{{cr|NZL}}8126
{{cr|PAK}}4111
colspan=5|Reference: ICC Historical Rankings

Test Mace

{{Main|ICC Test Championship Mace}}

=ICC Test Championship (2003–2019)=

Teams winning the annual prize for topping the ratings table on 1 April each year.

class="wikitable"

|+

!Year

!Team

!Captain

!Ref.

2003

| rowspan="7" |{{cr|AUS}} (7)

|Adam Gilchrist

|

2004

| rowspan="6" |Ricky Ponting

| rowspan="6" |{{Cite web |title=A retrospective: How the mace has changed hands |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/626132 |website=International Cricket Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025610/https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/626132 |archive-date=2020-11-12 |url-status=deviated }}

2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010

| rowspan="2" |{{cr|IND}} (2)

| rowspan="2" |MS Dhoni

| rowspan="2" |

2011
2012

|{{cr|ENG}}

|Alastair Cook

|{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/aug/14/andrew-strauss-england-world-rankings|title=Andrew Strauss to receive ICC mace for England's world ranking success|first=Andy|last=Wilson|date=August 14, 2011|newspaper=The Guardian}}

2013

| rowspan="3" |{{cr|SA}} (3)

| rowspan="2" |Graeme Smith

| rowspan="3" |{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/graeme-smith-presented-with-test-mace-627143|title=Smith presented with Test mace|website=ESPNcricinfo}}

2014
2015

|Hashim Amla

2016

|{{cr|AUS}} (8)

|Steve Smith

|

2017

| rowspan="3" |{{cr|IND}} (5)

| rowspan="3" |Virat Kohli

| rowspan="3" |{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/india-icc-test-championship-mace-2019-5652924/|title=India retain Test Championship Mace for third year in a row|date=April 1, 2019|website=The Indian Express}}

2018
2019

=ICC World Test Championship (2019–present)=

{{Main|ICC World Test Championship}}

The Mace is now awarded to the winners of the World Test Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/2171371 |title=Details of WTC prize money announced |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=14 June 2021}}

Calculations

=Qualifying matches=

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

=Time period=

{{ICC rankings time period}}

=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.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/874363.html |title=Understanding the ICC rankings system |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|date=12 May 2015 |access-date=5 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/resources/topical/test_championship/test_championship.htm|title=World Championship for Test Cricket|access-date=5 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027060001/http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/resources/topical/test_championship/test_championship.htm|archive-date=27 October 2014}}

==Step 1. Find the series points for each team==

  • Award 1 point to a team for each match won.
  • Award {{sfrac|1|2}} point to a team for each match drawn or tied.
  • Award 1 bonus point to the team winning the series.
  • Award {{sfrac|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 {{sfrac|1|2}} series point, each match played therefore earns teams ratings points as follows:

class="wikitable"
style="background: #BFB6A3;"| Single match result

! style="background: #BFB6A3;"| Ratings 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:

class="wikitable"
style="background: #BFB6A3;"| Single match result

! style="background: #BFB6A3;"| Ratings points earned

Stronger team winsOwn rating + 10
Weaker team losesOwn rating − 10
style="border-width:4px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:pale grey" | Stronger team draws or tiesstyle="border-width:4px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:pale grey" | Own rating − 40
Weaker team draws or tiesOwn rating + 40
style="border-width:4px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:pale grey" | Stronger team losesstyle="border-width:4px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:pale grey" | Own 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:

  • Add the ratings points scored to their total ratings points already scored (in previous matches).
  • Update the number of matches played by adding the number of Series points available. This is one more than the number of games in the series, as there is an additional point available for the series winner (a two Test match series will result in the match count getting incremented by three).
  • Divide the new rating points total by the updated number of matches to get the updated Rating.

=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:

class="wikitable" style="float: center; margin: 1em 1em 1em 1em; text-align:center;"
width="50" style="background: #ffdead;" rowspan="2" | Team

! colspan="3" style="background: #ffdead;" | Ratings before the series

! colspan="4" style="background: #ffdead;" | The series

! colspan="3" style="background: #ffdead;" | Ratings after the series

width="60" | Matcheswidth="60" | Pointswidth="60" | Ratingwidth="60" | Matches wonwidth="60" | Matches drawnwidth="60" | Series pointswidth="200" | Ratings pointswidth="60" | Matcheswidth="60" | Pointswidth="60" | Rating
A303600style="background: #ACE1AF;" | 1202033x(90+50) + 1x(90–50) = 46030+3+1=343600+460=4060style="background: #ACE1AF;" | 119.4
B363240style="background: #ACE1AF;" | 901011x(120+50) + 3x(120–50) = 38036+3+1=403240+380=3620style="background: #ACE1AF;" | 90.5

  • The total Ratings points available from the series (460+380=840) is the same as the initial ratings of the teams multiplied by the number of Series points available ((120+90)x4=840).
  • The two teams' total ratings is almost exactly the same after the series (119.4+90.5=209.9) as before the series (120+90=210). The series has therefore not generated any extra ratings, but has just redistributed the ratings the two teams already had. When these ratings are published in the official table in their rounded form (119 and 91), the total ratings after the series will be exactly the same as before the series. There is therefore no points 'inflation' in this system, which means that comparisons of ratings over time are meaningful.{{cite web |url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/team-rankings/test |title=FAQs on ICC Test Team Rankings |publisher=Qn2, ICC |access-date=18 January 2016 |archive-date=29 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029160858/http://www.icc-cricket.com/team-rankings/test |url-status=dead }}
  • Despite winning the series, Team A's rating has reduced, and despite losing the series, Team B's rating has increased. If Team A had won the series 3–0 then its rating would have increased to 122.4.

See also

{{Portal|Cricket}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/team-rankings/mens/test ICC Men's Test Team Rankings]

{{Sport world rankings}}

Test

Cricket