Australia jump to third in ICC Test rankings after 4-0 Ashes win vs England
Australian cricket team, led by Steve Smith, have moved two places in the latest ICC Test rankings after securing a 4-0 win over England in the recently-concluded Ashes series.
After sealing the Ashes 4-0, Australia have risen to third place in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Rankings while England slipped to fifth position.
Australia had entered the series in fifth position on 97 points, while England were in third place on 105 points. However, under the guidance of Steve Smith, Australia turned the tide and totally outplayed England in all departments. Australia won the first Test in Brisbane by 10 wickets, the Adelaide Day-Night Test by 120 runs, the Perth Test by an innings and 23 runs while the Sydney Test was won by an innings and 123 runs. England managed to salvage some pride by drawing the Melbourne Test.
It was a great series for Smith, who was the Man of the Series with 687 runs, including his career-best score of 239 at an average of 137. The Australian pace quartet of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon also had a magnificent series, picking up 23, 22, 21, 21 wickets respectively.
The performance of the Australian bowlers has helped them in the latest ICC rankings. Josh Hazlewood is in fifth spot, the best among the quartet while Starc and Lyon are in eighth and ninth position. Cummins, the leading wicket-taker, is in 36th position in what was his first full series at home.
Australia are now trailing number-one ranked India (124 points) by 20 points, while they are seven points behind second-ranked South Africa (111 points).
India and South Africa are currently involved in their three-Test series, which concludes in Johannesburg on January 28, following which the Test team rankings will be updated. Australia will now travel to South Africa where they play a four-Test series from March 1, while England’s next series is against New Zealand from March 22 when they play two Tests
In their home season, England will host Pakistan for a two-Test series and India for five Tests. For Australia, they will host India and Sri Lanka in their home summer in 2018/19.