India Tops ICC ODI & T20I Rankings; Australia Retains Test Supremacy in Annual ICC Update

Dubai: India has cemented its dominance in white-ball cricket by retaining the No. 1 spot in both the ICC Men’s ODI and T20I rankings, according to the annual update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday. Meanwhile, Australia continued its reign in Test cricket, holding onto the top position despite a narrowing lead.

As per the updated rankings system—which now weights matches played since May 2024 at 100% and those in the preceding two years at 50%—India improved its ODI rating to 124 points, increasing its lead over second-placed teams from 12 to 15 points. The Men in Blue’s triumphant campaign in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, along with a commanding 3-0 home series win over England, has contributed to this surge, despite a series loss in Sri Lanka last year.

New Zealand, runners-up in the Champions Trophy, have overtaken Australia to claim second place in ODIs. However, the biggest mover in the rankings is Sri Lanka, jumping from sixth to fourth, leapfrogging both Pakistan and South Africa. Afghanistan moved ahead of England, while the West Indies displaced Bangladesh for the ninth spot.

In the T20I rankings, India remains the undisputed leader, albeit with a slightly reduced lead of nine points over second-placed Australia. The past year saw India clinch the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and register 3-0 series wins over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, along with victories against England, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

There is no change in the top six of the T20I rankings. England, New Zealand, the West Indies, and South Africa maintain their positions. However, Sri Lanka has overtaken Pakistan to reach seventh, while Ireland edged ahead of Zimbabwe to claim 11th place.

The global T20I rankings now feature a record 100 teams, up from 80 in 2019, with all teams having played at least eight matches over the past three years. Canada recorded the biggest rating gain, climbing to 19th place after a nine-point surge. The Bahamas (up eight spots to 51st) and Estonia (up seven places to 61st) are the most improved in positional terms, while Oman saw the steepest decline.

In Test cricket, Australia continued to lead with 126 points, bolstered by recent series wins over India (3-1) and Sri Lanka (2-0). However, their lead over the next team has slightly shrunk—from 15 to 13 points.

England rose to second place, thanks in part to recent victories against New Zealand (2-1), Sri Lanka (2-1), and a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies. The improved ranking is also due to the removal of poor results from 2021-22. As a result, South Africa and India have each slipped a place to third and fourth, respectively.

The top 10 in the Test format remain otherwise unchanged. Ireland and Afghanistan are currently unranked due to insufficient matches—each needs to play more Tests within the next year to qualify for official rankings.