By Jagarkar
August 21 2004

The ICC's ranking system for Tests is a subject of ridicule for most followers of the game. Major factors such as home versus away and extra credit for wins against top teams are not considered. Their rankings end up, unsurprisingly, misleading. A proposed new system addresses these flaws. Two important criteria to rank test-playing nations have to be:

1. Doing well against top teams. This should count for more than beating minnows like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Windies.

2. Defending home turf. Losing a test series at home is a sign of weakness.

Let us allocate a point system.

Home performance

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• Win a series at home: 10 points (Yes, the team won but they were expected to win at home.)
• Lose a series at home: -10 points (The team lost at home and thus a big negative mark.)
• Draw a series at home: 5 points (At least the home team didn't lose and defended their turf.)

Away performance

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• Win a series away: 20 points (Kaching!! This is the jackpot, winning outside. Ultimate proof of success.)
• Lose a series away: 0 points (Not good. But since it is an away loss, no point deduction.)
• Draw a series away: 5 points (Good achievement. Shows the team adapted to foreign conditions, stopped short of winning but still did well.)

Minnow/Strong team adjustments

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Win or draw against the Aussies, I multiply the points gained by 2. I only rate the Aussies as a strong team, since there are far too many close number 2 contenders. No special consideration for losing. Adjust as follows:

• Win anything against a minnow, divide points by 2.
• Draw with minnow, no points.
• Lose to a minnow, you get -10.

The minnows are WI/Bangladesh/Zimbabwe.

So how have teams done last year?

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Australia

• Drew India at home: 5
• Won against SL away: 20
• Won against SL at home: 10
• Won against Zim at home: 5 (10 points for win at home, divide by 2 for minnow adjustment)

Total: 40 points

India

• Drew NZ at home: 5
• Drew against Ozzies away: 10( 5 pts for draw * strong team adjustment)
• Won against Pak away: 20

Total: 35 points

England

• Won against Bangladesh away: 10 (20 points for win divided by 2 for minnow adjustment)
• Lost to SL away: 0
• Won against NZ at home: 10
• Won against WI at home: 5(10 for win and then minnow adjustment)
• Won against WI away: 10(20 for win and then minnow adjustment)

Total: 35 points

Pakistan

• Lost to India at home: -10
• Defeated NZ in NZ: 20
• Defeated SA at home: 10
• Defeated Bangladesh at home: 5 pts (minnow adjustment)

Total: 25 points

Sri Lanka

• Lost to Aus at home: -10
• Lost to Aus away: 0
• Beat NZ at home: 10
• Defeated Eng at home: 10
• Defeated Zim away: 10 (20 points for win and minnow adjustment)

Total: 20 points

South Africa

• Lost to Pak in Pak: 0
• Won against WI in SA: 5 (minnow adjustment)
• Drew NZ at home: 5
• Lost to SL away: 0

Total: 10 points

New Zealand

• Lost to Eng away: 0
• Drew with India away: 5
• Drew with SA at home: 5
• Lost to Pak at at home: -10

Total: 0 pts

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The above ranking only considers last year's performance.

Australia is ranked 1.

England and India are tied for 2. England, because it played a lot of test series and were consistent. India, because it boosted its point total by doing well against the Aussies and winning an away series against Pakistan, even though they played much fewer tests.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are ranked 4 and 5. They aren't far behind India and England: one good away series win will probably see them move ahead. They both got penalized for losing home series, so cannot complain.

South Africa is ranked 6 . No surprises here, they are slipping.

New Zealand is 7, and this makes sense. They have won nothing, and lost to Pakistan at home.