Cricket World Ratings 30th December 2020

As a year of COVID-induced disruption comes to an end, three series of test cricket are actually being played at the moment.  South Africa and New Zealand have each started their latest home series (against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively) with a victory; but Australia, who took a 1-0 lead against India after their visitors suffered a catastrophic first innings collapse, have lost the second test, reigniting interest in the series (arguably a series between the world's two best teams at present) as a whole.  My world ratings now look like this:

India         226 +20
Australia     206 -19

New Zealand   199 +11     

England       161

Pakistan       85 -11 

South Africa   77 +19 

Sri Lanka      66 -18

West Indies    -4  

Bangladesh   -122   

Zimbabwe     -251     

Afghanistan  -303    

Ireland      -339

So India replace Australia in the number one spot, and South Africa and Sri Lanka also swap places.  Interesting as well is New Zealand's strong position.  New Zealand have never been number one in my rankings, nor in the official rankings, but having beaten India and the West Indies in successive home series prior to their latest win, they're getting very close.  All three series resume in the new year.

Cricket World Ratings 19th December 2020

COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc with the international cricket calendar; a recent England tour of South Africa was called out after several players tested positive.  In the Antipodes, the disease thankfully appears reasonably under control; and the West Indies recently toured New Zealand, recording two heavy defeats for their trouble.  India, now in Australia, started their first test rather better; but a spectacular collapse handed victory to the hosts.  Which serves to reinforce Australia's current status as the number one team in my world ratings, increasing their margin over their visitors, still their closest challengers.  The current ratings now look like this:

Australia     235 +15

India         196 -16

New Zealand   188 +13     

England       161

Pakistan       96 

Sri Lanka      84

South Africa   59

West Indies    -4 -13 

Bangladesh   -122   

Zimbabwe     -251     

Afghanistan  -303    

Ireland      -339

The official ratings (which won't incorporate results from the series in Australia until its completion) are similar, but they do show New Zealand in a very strong position (and New Zealand have never been top before, but they're very close to assuming that position, although I don't know if any result from the Australian-Indian series would put them there). The offical ratings also undergo periodic updating based on the passage of time (and not just matches), so they show some adjustments even for teams that have not played recently:

Australia     116 

New Zealand   116 +1

India         114 +4

England       106 +1   

Sri Lanka      91

South Africa   90 -8 

Pakistan       85 -1

West Indies    77 -5

Bangladesh     55 -6

Zimbabwe       18

In theory there's a lot of cricket due in the next month:three more tests for India in Australia, Pakistan go to New Zealand, while Sri Lanka go to South Africa then return home to host England.