Cricket World Ratings 28th August 2021

Before today, England had lost four of their last five games against India, and would probably have lost the other one as well if not for bad weather.  But an Indian first innings collapse at Headingly, and yet more runs for Joe Root, have levelled the current series with two still to play.  My world ratings are affected as follows:

1. New Zealand   260  
2. India         237 -25
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       161 +25
5. Pakistan      112    
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -20  
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

India lose their recently acquired top place; while England regain some of the ground lost from their recent poor results (in early February they had 226 points and briefly held first place).

Cricket World Ratings 25th August 2021

Five defeats and two draws in seven games is a painful record, but that's England's recent run, albeit while playing tough oppposition in NewZealand and India.  The team's latest defeat has come at home to the latter, collapsing in a game they were at one time favourites to win.  Meanwhile, Pakistan have lost one, won one, in a two test series in the West Indies.

My world ratings now look like this, with India's win taking them back top:

1. India         262 +20 
   
2. New Zealand   260 
   
3. Australia     177 
4. England       136 -20
5. Pakistan      112  -6  
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -20  +6
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338

And the official world ratings have also been adjusted, taking in the results from the Caribbean, but not yet from the incomplete series in England:

1. New Zealand   126 
   
2. India         119 
3. Australia     108
4. England       107 
5. Pakistan       92 -2
   
6. South Africa   88
7. West Indies    80 +2 
8. Sri Lanka      78
9. Bangladesh     49  
   
10. Zimbabwe       31  

England and India resume their five match series today.

Cricket World Ratings 8th August 2021

England were briefly top of the world in my world ratings at the end of last yeat, having won a rare away test in India.  The home side then delivered a triple revenge, and back at home, England have also lost to New Zealand (who have since beaten India in the inaugural world test championship final).  Now they face India once more, this time with home advantage.  But the Indians look super-strong, and with such strength in depth, could easily win in the UK.  They had eked out a definite advantage in the first test before rain prevented a result.  England's hopes seem to very must rest on their captain, Root.

Within India the higher-rated team, but England having home advantage, the draw has almost no effect on my ratings. In other words, the difference in the two team's ratings is almost exactly sufficient to offset home advantage when it comes to predicting a result.  The mildy revised ratings looks like this:

1. New Zealand   260 
   
2. India         242 -1 
3. Australia     177 
4. England       156 +1
5. Pakistan      118  
6. South Africa  104  
   
7. Sri Lanka      20
8. West Indies   -26
   
9. Bangladesh   -129    
   
10. Zimbabwe     -280    
    
11. Afghanistan  -303 
12. Ireland      -338