India extend lead at top of ICC Test rankings

TIL Desk Sports/ India continues to sit atop the latest ICC Test Team Rankings, ahead of South Africa and Australia. Not only that, with the results from 2014-15 being removed from the equation and those from 2015-16 and 2016-17 being weighted at 50 per cent, India have actually stretched their lead over South Africa from four to 13 points.

For India, who played four Tests in the 2014-15 season – losing 2-0 in Australia – and had earlier lost the five-Test tour of England 3-1 in the summer of 2014, the move up was expected following an excellent run since, highlighted by 10 wins in 13 Tests in the 2016-17 season.

India reached an aggregate of 125 while South Africa lost five points and slipped to 112. South Africa, are however, still comfortably ahead of the remaining sides. Australia are placed third with 106 points after gaining four following the update, taking back the position from New Zealand, who had overtaken them at the last cut-off date of April 3.

England gained one point and sit fifth on the rankings table. That change saw New Zealand assure themselves of US $200,000 for finishing third. India and South Africa won US $1 million and US $500,000 respectively for finishing first and second at the cut-off date. After the update, New Zealand remain on 102 points while England inched closer, reaching 98 after gaining one point.