India continued to be No 1 in the International Cricket Council’s Test Rankings after the annual update in which series results from 2014-’15 are removed.
Virat Kohli’s team, with 125 points, have a comfortable 13-point lead over the second-placed South Africa, despite Proteas’ series win against Australia. Australia gained four rating points to reclaim the third spot from trans-Tasmanian rivals New Zealand.
In this annual update, the results from the 2015-’16 and 2016-’17 seasons are weighted at 50%.
New Zealand, meanwhile, remained on 102 points while England have inched closer to the Kiwis, reaching 98 after gaining one point.
Bangladesh, who gained four points, leapfrogged West Indies to be eighth in the rankings. This is the first time that West Indies are in the ninth spot.
Two nations – Ireland and Afghanistan – will be added to the rankings after they make their debuts. Ireland will play their first Test against Pakistan in Dublin from 11 to 15 May while Afghanistan’s first Test will be against India in Bengaluru from 14-18 June.