New Zealand's journey to the top of Test Rankings

The seventh country ever to hold thetop spot in the Test rankings, New Zealand spent much of the last couple of years in second place on the table with an impeccable home record recently.

So how did they get there?

Kane Williamson: Leading from the front

In an era of flashy superstars, Kane Williamson is a throwback to the old-fashioned copybook cricketer who oozes class every time he takes the crease. Such is the brilliance of Kane Williamson that not only is he the captain and fulcrum of the New Zealand batting order, but also the current No.1 Test batsman in the world, upstaging Virat Kohli and Steve Smith in the final ICC Rankings update for 2020. Williamson leapfrogged that formidable duo with three centuries, including two double centuries in his last six innings.

Following another match-winning double century from the skipper against Pakistan in Christchurch, the Black Caps seized the initiative in the Test and subsequently inching close to the top two spots in the ICC World Test Championship standings. The 364-ball double century a couple of days ago was a 573-minute masterclass in Test match batting from Kane Williamson, leading his team from the front. However, that was not the end of it, as he rewrote several records in the process:–

· Most Test centuries (13) & 50+ scores (31) in New Zealand

· First New Zealand captain to 2000+ Test runs at home

· Second New Zealand captain to score 3000+ Test runs

· Third New Zealand batsman to 7,000+ runs in Tests

· Joint-first for most double centuries in Test cricket for New Zealand: 4

· Third highest partnership in Test cricket for New Zealand (369 - Williamson & Nicholls)

· Second captain to score 10+ Test centuries since 2016

· Highest average in Test cricket since 2017 among batters with a minimum of 1000 runs:

Kane Williamson (NZL) – 65.74
Babar Azam (PAK) – 62.80
Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) – 58.81
Henry Nicholls (NZL) – 53.53
Steve Smith (AUS) – 52.62
Virat Kohli (IND) – 52.56

A full team effort for sustained excellence

While Kane Williamson has played a major role in New Zealand’s rise to the top, there is much more to the Black Caps than just their captain. Since 2017, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, and Williamson, have scored over 6500 Test runs between them which has included 21 centuries. With Tom Latham (11th), Henry Nicholls (12th) and Ross Taylor (14th) just outside the top-10 ICC Test Rankings for batting, there has been plenty of runs throughout the New Zealand batting order on the journey to the top.

The Kiwis’ pace duo Neil Wagner and Tim Southee are ranked third and fourth in ICC Test Ranking for bowing. Since 2017, the pair, along with Trent Boult, have picked up 275 wickets between them at an average of 23.95. The meteoric rise of Kyle Jamieson as the fourth pillar of the New Zealand bowling unit has added a new dimension and strength to this already talented attack.

The final piece of the puzzle for New Zealand’s rise has been the old adage, ‘There’s no place like home’. Having just broken its longest winning streak in Test cricket with its sixth win against Pakistan, New Zealand home series have proven to be an insurmountable challenge for every touring side for the past three years. Such has been the dominance of Williamson’s side on its home decks that March 2017 was the last time a visiting team won a Test in New Zealand.

England, South Africa, India and Australia have all enjoyed a year at the top of ICC Test Rankings in the last 10 years. With impeccable results against West Indies and Pakistan, both of whom were trounced in successive Tests by an innings each, New Zealand have proven they are now the most in-form Test team in world cricket and the rankings reflect that fact.