Drawn Wellington Test helps India maintain 2nd rank but Australia close in
While a 1-0 series win has helped New Zealand climb a place, India has barely held onto its second position in ICC's Test team rankings - a single rating point above third-placed Australia.
India retained its second position on the ICC Test team rankings following the drawn Wellington Test, which ended in a draw to give New Zealand - up by a place to seventh in rankings - a 1-0 series win. The result though has made Australia's task of finishing ahead of India on the table before the 1 April cut-off date, slightly easier.
India has slipped from 117 rating points to 112 rating points, and is ahead of Australia by just one rating point. This means Australia, which leads South Africa 1-0 in the three-Test series, now needs minimum of a draw in the series to move ahead of India. (Also read: Despite defeat, Dhoni says happy with Indian bowlers)
If Australia wins the series 1-0, it will rise to 115 ratings points, whereas a 2-0 win will put it on 116 rating points.
In contrast, if South Africa bounces back and wins the next two Tests, then it will not only retain its pre-series rating of 133 points, but Australia will also remain behind India on 110 rating points, thereby handing Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side second position at the 1 April cut-off date.