ICC Test Team Rankings: Rohit Sharma & Co chase World No 1 – Rohit Sharma on Test captaincy debut will chase World No 1 spot when India take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series starting Friday in Mohali. However, even if India clean sweep Sri Lanka 2-0, India won’t be World No 1. Instead, India will have to depend on Pakistan vs Australia results to reclaim the top spot. Follow IND vs SL Test Series and PAK vs AUS Live Updates on InsideSport.
IND vs SL LIVE: Rohit Sharma is now in charge across all formats, succeeding Kohli who drove India up the world rankings but failed to lift any international silverware. Rohit, 34, reasserted his white-ball leadership credentials with a 3-0 T20 sweep of Sri Lanka that gave India a record-equalling 12th straight win.
ICC Test Team Rankings: IND vs SL starts on Friday, check what Rohit Sharma & Co need to do to reclaim World No 1 spot?
In Tests, however, it is not that straightforward. Currently, Australia are at the summit with 119 points after Ashes thrashing of England. India are at the second spot with 116 points. That means, only if Babar Azam’s Pakistan win the Test series at least 1-0 and India win the Test series against Sri Lanka by at least 1-0, India will reclaim the top spot.
ICC Test Team Rankings: IND vs SL starts on Friday, check what Rohit Sharma & Co need to do to reclaim World No 1 spot?
ICC Test Team Rankings: What do Rohit Sharma & Co need to do?
- India will need to win the Test series against Sri Lanka by at least 1-0 margin.
- 1-0 win will hand India 116 points.
- Pakistan need to either draw or win the three-match Test series against pat Cummins’ Australia 0-0 or 1-1.
- If Australia draw the Pakistan series, they will lose four points and drop to third place behind New Zealand with 115 points.
- India with 116 points will be new World No 1.
- But if Australia manage to win the series, they will extend their lead at the top.
ICC Test Team Rankings: IND vs SL starts on Friday, check what Rohit Sharma & Co need to do to reclaim World No 1 spot?
No practice today due to rain in Rawalpindi
For now enjoy Babar Azam practicing in the Test mode
👊👊#BoysReadyHain#PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/ZfjZN4iNtO— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 3, 2022
ICC Test Team Rankings – PAK vs AUS Test: For Pakistan, the historic home Test series against Australia after 24 years will be the chance to move up the rankings. But for Australia, under new Test captain Pat Cummins, it will be conquering of Pakistan, one of the toughest tests.
For Rohit Sharma, he will be aiming to continue what Virat Kohli started as the captain. On Virat Kohli’s 100th Test, Rohit Sharma will be aiming to win the match against an opponent who have never won a Test match in India.
“I am looking forward to just winning games and doing the right things with the right players in the squad. As a Test team, we at the moment stand in a very good position, credit goes to Virat for getting us going in this format. What he did with the Test team was brilliant to see, I have to just take it forward from where he left,” Rohit Sharma said ahead of the 1st Test in Mohali.
But more importantly, for India to remain in the World Test Championship contention, they will need to keep winning. India have nine matches to play including one against England and need to win a majority of them to finish in top two of WTC Table.
“We are midway in the WTC table, I do not see we have anything wrong in this format, we want to improve every game we play, that is going to be the benchmark we set for ourselves. We look forward to correcting our mistakes, no team is perfect,” Rohit Sharma said.
ICC Test Team Rankings: IND vs SL starts on Friday, check what Rohit Sharma & Co need to do to reclaim World No 1 spot?