From No. 1 to No. 4: Why team India's Test rankings haven't budged despite West Indies win

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Indian cricket team may have performed brilliantly in the Test series against the West Indies, but its position in the ICC Test rankings remains worrisome. Once ranked number one in Tests, the Indian team is currently outside the top three, and even after a clean sweep of the West Indies, its ranking is unlikely to improve significantly.

Looking at the latest ICC Test rankings, World Test Championship winners Australia are firmly entrenched in first place with a rating of 124. South Africa is second with a rating of 115, and England is third with a rating of 112. India is behind these three teams in fourth place with a rating of 107.

In the cricket ranking system, a win against a weaker team yields very few points. India's rating was even lower before winning the first Test against the West Indies. Now, even if Team India wins the second Test, its rating will only rise to 108. This will improve India's rating, but it will remain at No. 4.

Following this series, the Indian team will play ODI and T20 series in Australia, which will not affect the Test rankings. Following this, India will play a tough two-Test series against South Africa on home soil in November. Winning against a strong team like South Africa will be a significant challenge. Therefore, it will be important to see how long Team India can maintain its place in the top three in the Test rankings.