India drop to third position in ICC Test rankings after losing first Test series against Australia in 10 years

Last update:January 7, 2025, 06:36 IST

India suffered a humiliating 1-3 defeat in the five-match Test series against Australia, which ended on Sunday (January 5) in Sydney.

India drops to third position in ICC Test rankings. (Image credit: AFP)

The Indian men’s cricket team, which suffered a humiliating 1-3 defeat in the recently concluded five-match Test series against Australia, has fallen to the No. 3 position in the latest ICC Test team rankings. India, which reached the final of the 2019-21 and 2021-23 World Test Championships, has 109 rating points. WTC 2023 winners Australia sit atop the Test rankings with 126 rating points and are followed by South Africa, who whitewashed Pakistan in the recently concluded two-match Test series at home. The Proteas, who are guaranteed to finish at the top of the 2023-25 ​​WTC points table, have 112 rating points.

South Africa began the series against Pakistan as the world’s No. 3 Test team, but two wins in two matches helped Temba Bavuma’s men overtake India.

India, who failed to qualify for the WTC final for the first time in three seasons, kicked off the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a huge 295-run victory over the Pat Cummins-led team at the Optus Stadium in November. 2024. But Rohit Sharma’s men failed to build on that victory and lost three of the next four matches.

Australia, who defeated India by 209 runs in the 2023 WTC final played at The Oval in June 2023, won the second Test, played with the pink ball at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 8, 2024, by 10 wickets and then secured wins by 184 runs and 6 wickets in Melbourne and Sydney respectively. Between the Adelaide and Melbourne tests, the third match in Brisbane ended in a draw due to rain.

The first Test series victory over India in 10 years not only helped Australia maintain the number one Test ranking but also helped the Baggy Greens qualify for the World Test Championship final for the second consecutive season.

In the WTC 2025 final, which will take place at Lord’s from June 11 to 15, Australia will face South Africa. If Australia manages to beat South Africa in the single match, they will become the first team in history to successfully defend their WTC title.