ICC annual rankings: India maintain pole position in white-ball formats

Dubai: India maintained number one position in the ICC Men’s ODI and T20I rankings while Australia managed to retain their top place in the Test Team Rankings after the annual updates released by the premier cricket board on Monday.

The latest rankings, which rate all matches played since May 2024 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent, see a record 100 teams listed in T20Is after the annual update. In ODIs annual update, India have improved their lead from 12 to 15 points and are at 124 rating points.

India’s victory in the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy was the highlight of a successful period over the past year, including a 3-0 home series win against England, coming after losing an away series against Sri Lanka in August 2024.

New Zealand, who were the runners-up in Champions Trophy, have edged ahead of Australia to second place. But Sri Lanka have emerged as the biggest improvers – up two places from sixth to fourth, leapfrogging Pakistan and South Africa. Afghanistan have gone past England while the West Indies have moved above Bangladesh to take ninth position.

In terms of T20Is, India are also staying clear at the top, even though their lead over Australia is reduced from 10 to nine points. The past year saw them win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, followed by 3-0 series sweeps over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and other series wins over England, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

There are no other changes in the top six with 2022 winners England, New Zealand, two-time champions West Indies and South Africa following in that order. 2014 winners Sri Lanka have overtaken 2009 champions Pakistan to be at seventh position while Ireland are now ahead of Zimbabwe in 11th position.

 Meanwhile, in Tests, Australia, who won 2-0 in Sri Lanka after beating India 3-1 at home in their most recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, maintain their top position in Tests via 126 rating points, though their lead is reduced from 15 to 13 points.

England have moved into second place after 2-1 series wins over New Zealand and Sri Lanka and a 3-0 win over the West Indies. But more than these victories, their rating has improved because of the removal of their results in 2021-22, when they lost all three series. South Africa and India have dropped a place each to third and fourth respectively. (IANS)

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