Cricket World Ratings 31st March 2017

 Quite a lot of cricket has been played in the last couple of weeks.  With their series against Australia tied at 1-1, India drew their next game; but won the final one, completing a comeback victory and cementing their place on top of cricket's world ratings. South Africa, touring New Zealand, have drawn one and won one; while Bnagladesh have followed up their home win against England late last year with their best ever away victory, against Sri Lanka, a development that has boosted them to their highest ever level in the ratings.  Put together, these results leave us with the following pecking order:

India         192 +11  
South Africa  142  +7  
Australia     115 -11  
New Zealand    53  -7 
England        25    
Pakistan        2    
Sri Lanka      -1 -28 
West Indies   -58    
Bangladesh   -145 +27  
Zimbabwe     -325

The offical ratings tell a mostly similar story, although the order is slightly different, as are the margins:

India        122 +2
South Africa 109 +2
Australia    108 -1
England      101
Pakistan      97
New Zealand   96 -2
Sri Lanka     90 -2
West Indies   69
Bangladesh    66 +4
Zimbabwe       5

From here, the schedule gets lighter for a bit.  Pakistan visit the West Indies at the end of April.  What will be most interesting is when India, whose current rating is as high as it's ever been, hit the road, and try to defend the plaudits won on home soil elsewhere.

Cricket World Ratings 13th March 2017

3 test matches have just been completed.  New Zealand (at home) were holding their own against a strong South African team when rain washed out the match (a perrenial hazard when games are scheduled in the South Island); Sri Lanka saw off Bangldesh; and most notably, India came from behind to win their second test against Australia, an important result following their wholly unexpected thrashing in the first test.  The result of all this is to consolidate India's position as number one team.

India         181 +16 
South Africa  135  -5 
Australia     126 -15  
New Zealand    60  +5 
Sri Lanka      26  +8 
England        25    
Pakistan        2    
West Indies   -58    
Bangladesh   -172  -8  
Zimbabwe     -325

In all 3 series, another round of matches start this week, and there's then one more test in both of India and New Zealand. These games will essentially mark the end of the test cricket year.  There's then a gap - of a little under a month - before the next round of matches start, when Pakistan travel to the West Indies at the end of April.