Cricket World Ratings 28th January 2024

Test cricket can seem a predictable game. The strong teams beat the weak ones; when two strong sides play, the home team are heavy favourites.  And the margins of victory are often large.  But England, touring India, have just come from behind to win the first test of their five match series, although India are near-invincible at home and had never previously lost a home game with such a large first innings lead. Even more remarkably, the unfancied West Indies defeated Australia to square their two match series.  Both games went down to the wire.  It's been a great day for demonstrating the heights that the game can reach in its longest form.

My world ratings now look like this:

1. England       250  +26
2. Australia     240  -40
3. India         184  -26
   
4. South Africa  155    
5. New Zealand   130
   
6. Pakistan       81
7. West Indies    17  +40  
   
8. Sri Lanka      -5     
   
9. Bangladesh   -117            
   
10. Zimbabwe     -277     
    
11. Afghanistan  -310   
    
12. Ireland      -349

Australia had been riding high, with a historically superb rating, but a home defeat against unfancied opposition has cost them dearly; and England have gone top.  It may not last: they also begun their last series in India in winning style, but ended it well beaten.  But they couldn't have hoped for a better beginning. On Friday, the two teams go again, white Afghanistan play a one-off match in Sri Lanka.