India Retain 4th Spot, England Look to Move up in Test Rankings
When the Ashes starts in Cardiff on Wednesday, both England and Australia would bid to hold possession of the prestigious Urn and also climb up the rankings table.
India have retained the fourth position in the ICC Test team rankings but England, currently placed just a spot behind the Asian cricketing giant, have a chance to move up the ladder during the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.
When the series starts in Cardiff on Wednesday, both England and Australia would bid to hold possession of the prestigious Urn and also climb up the rankings table.
England are on fifth position on 97 points, trailing India, and ahead of Pakistan by a fraction of a point, while Australia are in second spot on 111 points. (Mitchell Starc and Australians Plan to Sting England's Tail)
England have an opportunity to move to as high as second if they win the series by 3-0 margin or better, but will drop to as low as seventh if Australia win all five Tests. (X-Men of the Ashes)
In contrast, Australia will jump to 118 points to reduce the gap with number-one ranked South Africa to 12 points but will drop to fourth if England win all the five Tests irrespective of how the Pallekele Test ends.
In fact, a 3-0 or 4-1 result in favour of England will mean Australia will drop behind England in third position. (Pat Cummins Ready to Take Ashes Opportunity)
In the Test batsmen's chart, Australia vice-captain Steven Smith would look to defend his number-one spot as he holds a five-point advantage over South Africa's AB de Villiers.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is the lone Indian batsman to be figuring in the top-10 list, sitting at number 10th position.
None of the Indian bowlers, however, could get a place in the top-10 chart for Test bowlers, which is headed by Dale Steyn of South Africa. (Plenty at Stake for Ashes Captain Clarke, Cook)