Team India will retain their number 1 position in the ICC Test Rankings, regardless of how they fair in the upcoming test series against South Africa in South Africa.
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However, the Proteas will be tied with India at the number 1 position if they whitewash India in the series.
South Africa is currently 13 points adrift from Team India, who is on top of the rankings with 124 points. However, both teams will finish on 118 points, if South Africa complete a clean sweep against India.
India will still be above the Rainbow Nation finishing on 118.47 points while South Africa will finish on 117.53. On the other hand, if India whitewashes South Africa in the series starting from 5th January, the Men in Blue will finish with 128 points, while South Africa will drop down to 107 points.
Australia has been guaranteed the third place in the Test rankings, after they are currently 3-0 up in the 5-game series against England, with the final Test currently being played in Sydney.
However, England will have to win, in order to finish in fourth place.
If Australia finishes the series 4-0, the Aussies will finish third with 104 points, while England will drop fifth to 99 points. A 3-1 series result will mean Australia will still finish third with 102 points, while England would finish fourth with 101 points.
In the Test batsman rankings, second-placed Indian captain, Virat Kohli will attempt to break the 900-point barrier for the first ever time in his Test career. The Indian superstar is currently placed second with 893 points, and a good performance will help him break the 900-barrier and reduce the point difference between him and number 1 ranked Steve Smith.
Kohli’s team-mate, Cheteshwar Pujara is 20 points from Virat Kohli in third place, with South African star Hashim Amla being sitting at the seventh spot. In the Test bowlers rankings, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada is close to James Anderson in the number 1 rank.
Second-placed Rabada is just nine points away from the number 1 rank, and depending on how the young pacer performs in the series, we might see him getting the first rank.
