Cricket World Ratings 8th January 2026

The Ashes are over, and Australia have triumphed 4-1 at home.  In 35 years following cricket, I have witnessed England win down under just twice; and this time, it wasn't close.  My world ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     282  +9  
2. South Africa  262 
3. India         156
4. New Zealand   150
5. England       149  -9 
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -46      
   
9. Bangladesh    -96      
   
10. Ireland      -289 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324  

 The official rankings look similar, although they are a little kinder to England:

1. Australia     128  +4 
2. South Africa  116  
3. England       109  -3   
4. India         104       
5. New Zealand    98          
6. Sri Lanka      88    
7. Pakistan       82      
8. West Indies    69           
9. Bangladesh     63              
10. Ireland        23  
11. Zimbabwe       12   
12. Afghanistan    10      
    

And with that, there's a several month break, with no new cricket due until New Zealand and Pakistan tour England in the summer.  

Cricket World Ratings 27th December 2025

Amazingly, a second test match in the current Ashes series has ended within 2 days. Even more amazingly, this one has resulted in a rare win for England, who consistently stuggle down under even when competitive elsewhere, although this win comes with the series already lost.  This unexpected result has a non-trivial effect on my rankings, as follows:

1. Australia     273 -37  
2. South Africa  262 
3. England       158 +37
4. India         156    
5. New Zealand   150     
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -46      
   
9. Bangladesh    -96      
   
10. Ireland      -289 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324  

Even losing 3-1, England's results have exceeded expetations to date, which indicates quite how dominant Australia currently are. One more test remains to be played in this series, after which there are almost five months without any scheduled tests.

 

Cricket World Ratings 24th December 2025

New Zealand have just completed a 2-0 series victory over the West Indies.  Which leaves us with just one test matchr emaining this year: Australia's celebrated Boxing Day test, this year part of an Ashes series.  But also this year, defanged by Australia's 3-0 lead before the game starts, the decisive third win recently added to the other two  My ratings currently look like this:

1. Australia     310  +7  
2. South Africa  262  
3. India         156    
4. New Zealand   150  +6   
5. England       121  -7   
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -46  -6    
   
9. Bangladesh    -96      
   
10. Ireland      -289 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324  

Taking into account the now completed series in New Zealand, the ICC rankings look like this:

1. Australia     124 
2. South Africa  116  
3. England       112   
4. India         104       
5. New Zealand    98  +2        
6. Sri Lanka      88    
7. Pakistan       82      
8. West Indies    69  -1         
9. Bangladesh     63              
10. Ireland        23  
11. Zimbabwe       12   
12. Afghanistan    10      
    

Can England at least regain some pride in Melbourne?  

Cricket World Ratings 13th December 2025

West Indies managed to draw the first game of their three match series in New Zealand; but have now loas the second.  The difference between the two team's ratings at the start of the series was such that even now West Indies are still better off than they were at the start of the series, with the latest ratings changed as follows:

1. Australia     303  
2. South Africa  262  
3. India         156    
4. New Zealand   144  +7   
5. England       128   
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -40  -7    
   
9. Bangladesh    -96      
   
10. Ireland      -289 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324         

The series concludes with another game before Christmas, with the 3rd Ashes test taking place at the same time.

Cricket World Ratings 7th December 2025

Two test matches have recently been completed. New Zealand's game at home to the West Indies begun with a pair of low scoring innings, but ended up as a draw; while Australia have now beaten England twice, each time by eight wickets, and are thius now extremely strong favourites to retain the Ashes.  My ratings now look like this:

1. Australia     303  +7 
2. South Africa  262  
3. India         156    
4. New Zealand   137 -16   
5. England       128  -7 
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -33 +16    
   
9. Bangladesh    -96      
   
10. Ireland      -289 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324         

The West Indies play their second test in New Zealand starting on Tuesday; the Ashes will resume after that match finishes.

Cricket World Ratings 26th November 2025

The last month of test cricket has seen quite a bit of action. Two series have favoured the home teams: Bangladesh beat Ireland twice, heavily, while Australia won the first Ashes test with a Bazball-style comeback. More noteable has been the touring South Africans securing two big victories in India. Australia's rating is now the highest it's been since 2008.  South Africa's has never been higher. But India were last this low in 2016, and England's rating is their lowest since Bazball begun in 2022. The detail is as follows:

1. Australia     296  +7 
2. South Africa  262 +49 
3. India         156 -49   
4. New Zealand   153   
5. England       135  -8 
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28      
8. West Indies   -49    
   
9. Bangladesh    -96 +13     
   
10. Ireland      -289 -14 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 
12. Afghanistan  -324         

The ICC rankings look like this:

1. Australia     124 
2. South Africa  116  +5
3. England       112   
4. India         104  -4     
5. New Zealand    96        
6. Sri Lanka      88    
7. Pakistan       82      
8. West Indies    70         
9. Bangladesh     63  +2            
10. Ireland        23  -7    
11. Zimbabwe       12   
12. Afghanistan    10      
    

West Indies begin a tour of New Zealand in early December, while the Ashes continues accros the Tasmin Sea.

 

 

Test Circket Ratings 25th October 2025

South Africa lost their first game on tour in Pakistan, but have drawn the series by winning the second; while Zimbabwe have managed a home win against Afghnistan, who had overtaken them in my ratings.  Taking these two results into account, quite a few positions change in my ratings:

1. Australia     289 
2. South Africa  213 +16 
3. India         205   
4. New Zealand   153   
5. England       143 
6. Sri Lanka      42
7. Pakistan       28 -15     
8. West Indies   -49    
   
9. Bangladesh   -109     
   
10. Ireland      -275 
11. Zimbabwe     -315 +18
12. Afghanistan  -324 -18        

There are also some changes in the official ratings, but the most strking difference between these and mine remains the placement of England:

1. Australia     124    
2. England       112  
3. South Africa  111  -4 
4. India         108     
5. New Zealand    96        
6. Sri Lanka      88    
7. Pakistan       82  +4    
8. West Indies    70         
9. Bangladesh     61            
10. Ireland        30    
11. Zimbabwe       12  +4 
12. Afghanistan    10 -11     
    

Next month, South Africa play in India, while Irelans go to Bangladesh.