ICC messes up with Test rankings, Australia back at top spot hours after website showed India as no.1

On Wednesday, February 15, the latest ICC rankings were released and much to every Indian cricket fans’ delight India was ranked as the number one team across all formats. Several publications even pulled out stories celebrating India’s success on the global level in Tests, T20Is and ODIs. The ICC website showed India ranked number one in Tests with 115 rating points and Australia as second with 111 points, however, the table got updated hours later and Australia returned to the top position with 126 points, while India slipped to the second spot with 115 points.

Although one can expect slight mistakes to happen even in huge publications, no one could see such a goof-up coming from the website of cricket’s governing body, that left everyone confused and surprised at the same time. While the Indian fans all across the world were celebrating this massive success, the correction dampened their spirits and the elation petered out.

Meanwhile, both India and Australia are currently involved in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series with the hosts India leading the four-match series 1-0. The first Test in Nagpur saw India crack open the Australia’s confidence with a dominating win by an innings and 132 runs inside three days. India’s spin duo of Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked up five-wicket hauls and made giant strides in the latest ICC Rankings for bowlers and all-rounders, respectively.

Captain Rohit Sharma also jumped two places to number eighth spot after scoring a fighting hundred (120) in India’s only innings in the first Test. Whereas, two absentees from the XI, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah – both of whom are nursing injuries and are out, are also listed in the top batters and bowlers’ categories, respectively.

Team India will now face Australia in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, starting February 17. While India are likely to go ahead with the winning XI in the second Test, expect a sea of changes in the Australian line-up as they chase history in India this time.