Every year ICC releases the team ranking, and after every series and match, they change it. But how do they measure it? And how will we compare the two teams? ICC releases rankings for every format like

the ICC T20 ranking or ICC test ranking. Every cricket fan is excited about the rankings, and they want their team to be top. Even every team tries hard to top the ranking. For example, Team India is top in the ICC T20 ranking,

 while 

New Zealand

 and 

Australia

 are top in ODI and test ranking respectively. Let’s see how the ranking system works.

Ranking In Test Matches 

Whenever two teams play together, they share a point at the end of the test series. The ratings of teams may increase or decrease based on performances throughout the series. 

ICC starts the ICC test champions trophy to make the

test 

series more exciting. The top team with the highest rating plays in the final. The first-ever 

test 

champions played between India and New Zealand, and New Zealand won the final.

Every format has different factors to give the ranking. We are going to see the methods of rating in test matches.

Points are awarded after the end of the series, and points also depend upon the matches won in the series. The rating point also depends upon the opponent. If any team won against the stronger opposition, and a team won against the weaker opposition. Teams who played against stronger opposition will get the most rating points.

For example, let’s assume a team won the series 2-1, but they will be given points like they won the series by 3-1. The Series win gives an extra mark for one test match. Home or away conditions don’t work on the ratings, and it doesn’t matter even if the board sends the B team.

In recent times, we have seen

India send their B team when the A team was busy playing other series. It doesn't affect the rating point. If the B team loses, the rating point will decrease.

When two teams play a series, the winning team gets one point, and in case of draws, both teams will share 0.5 points while the team will get an extra point on the series win.

As we have discussed, that rating depends upon the strength of the team. At the start, if the difference in rating points is less than 40.

Let's assume the winning team gets 4 points, while the losing team gets 2 points, the winning team has x rating points, and the losing team has y rating points. In the end, the winning team will get 4(y+50)+ (x-50)2.

If the difference in rating points is greater than 40. Let's understand the same scenario and A is stronger while B is a weaker team. Stronger team will get 4(y+10)+ 2(x-90) while the weaker team will get 2(x+90) + (y-10)4.

Once the series gets completed, the team's previous total gets added to the series score and divided by the total number of matches. Completed series is only considered as one match irrespective of the number of matches in the series. 

Read our latest blog: The Latest Updates from the International Cricket Council.

ICC T20 Ranking and ODI Ranking

ICC T20 ranking

and ODI ranking are not as difficult as test ranking. In the 

ODI 

and 

T20

, series concepts don’t exist as tests have.

If the rating is less than 40 points at the start of the match. Let’s take an example A team has an x rating while the B team y rating at the start of the match. If A team wins, their ICC T20 ranking and ODI ranking will be (y+50). In the case of a tie, A will have a y rating while B will have an x rating. If A loses the match, its rating will be y-50.

If the rating is equal to or greater than 40 points at the start match. Let’s take the same scenario: A is a higher-rating team, and B is a lower-rating team. If A wins, the rating of A will be x+10, while the rating of B will be y-10. In the case of a tie match, A has the x-40 rating while B has the y+40 rating. If A loses, they have x-90 ratings, while B has the y+90 ratings.

Test ranking is different from the ICC T20 ranking

and ODI rankings. Due to the series concept. If a test series contains only one match, then its rating points will follow the rule of ICC T20 ranking methods.

A ranking system is complicated, but we all associate with it. That’s why ICC always updates the ranking and posts it on their website because normally, it will be difficult for us to do calculations.

Visit the

CBTF 

website to learn more about ICC T20 rankings, ODI rankings, and test rankings.