Australia, India maintain top positions after annual update to Men’s Rankings

Australia maintain a comfortable lead at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings table while India continue their hold on the number one positions in the ODI and T20I rankings after the annual updates.

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.

Australia, who won 2-0 in Sri Lanka after beating India 3-1 at home in their most recent series, maintain their top position in Tests though the 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, but the remaining places remain unchanged with only 10 teams ranked as of now. Ireland need to play one more Test in the next year to acquire a ranking while Afghanistan need to play three more.

In the ODI table, India have improved their lead from 12 to 15 points.

India’s victory in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 was the highlight of a successful period over the past year but what also mattered were three other series – a 3-0 home win against England, a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka in a three-match away series and a 2-1 win in South Africa.

New Zealand, who made the final of the Champions Trophy, have edged ahead of Australia to second place but Sri Lanka are 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.

India are also clear on top in the Men’s T20I Team Rankings 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 sweeps over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka apart from other series wins over England, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

There are no other changes in the top six with England, New Zealand, the West Indies and South Africa following in that order. Sri Lanka have overtaken Pakistan to seventh position while Ireland are now ahead of Zimbabwe, in 11th position.

The biggest gain in terms of rating points is for Canada, whose nine-point surge lifts them into 19th position and ahead of Oman, who are the biggest losers in terms of ranking points, with an eight-point drop.

Bahamas (up eight places to 51st) and Estonia (up seven places to 61st) are the biggest gainers in Saturday’s update, which sees 100 teams ranked as they have all played at least eight T20Is in the past three years. When the global rankings were launched in 2019, there were 80 ranked teams.

DEVELOPED BY DAVID KENDIX

DEVELOPED BY DAVID KENDIX

DEVELOPED BY DAVID KENDIX