Indian fans rejoiced after their victory at Brabourne stadium on Sunday (6/12/09) - Lankans were defeated by an innings and India achieved the coveted No.1 position in the ICC Test Championship for the first time since it was introduced in May 2001, though India got Test status way back in 1932. This is certainly good for the Nation in some ways. From the nadir of 42 all out at Lords in 1974 to our highest score of 726/9D at Mumbai, it has been a long way. Including the new debutant Pragyan Ojha, more than 260 have earned Indian cap.
As you would know, there are only 9 Nations in the list; We are the Third team after Australia and South Africa to surge to the top of the ladder. When this series started we were on 3rd place with 119 rating points trailing the topper by three points. These two innings win have given 5 ratings points aiding us to the top. The series win ensures that India will finish the year as No.1 even if Aussies were to white wash the Windies. This rating done by ICC (International Cricket Council) is only notional. About a decade back, we were annihilated 3/0 by Aussies and then lost to South Africans at home. Though the positioning would make people think that this the best Team ever, the fact could be otherwise, especially on the bowling front. Perhaps the team of the 1971 was the best close catching with Ekky, Abid, Venky &…. On the way to the summit, we have had first ever triumph in Pak, series victory in WI & Kiwiland and victory in England with no. of home successes to pepper with. In the present decade Indians have won 40 and lost 27 of their 103 tests. In between Sourav had good claims in rebuilding the team for the future.
Ironically, this stature could be lost soon due the low frequency of tests as we play only two tests in the next 11 months. This would also mean that the reign will be determined by the performance of South Africa and Australia in the coming months. Indians are to play Bangladesh and a 2-0 also would not boost many points; Proteas are to play England and if they get a similar margin or better they would reclaim the top spot. It is tough for the Oz as they have to blank Pak and WI and then win in Kiwiland.
For those still interested, a rating is worked out by dividing the points scored by the match/series total, with the answer given to the nearest whole number. It can be compared with a batting average but with points instead of total runs scored and a match/series total instead of number of times dismissed. After every Test series, the two teams receive a certain number of points, based on a mathematical formula. Similarly, under the Reliance Mobile Test Championship method, the points earned from a Test win will always be more than the rating the team had at the start of the series. Equivalently, a team losing a Test match will always score fewer points than its rating. So a win will always boost a team's rating and a defeat will harm it. A draw between a higher and lower rated team will slightly benefit the rating of the lower rated team at the expense of the higher rated team. A rating above 120 suggests consistently strong performances. Above 130 is rarely achieved and suggests a high degree of dominance over all other teams.
Strangely, it is possible for a team to win a series yet for its rating to fall. This will happen if a stronger team wins a series but by a smaller margin than the respective ratings. The table reflects all Test series completed since August more than three years ago. All Tests series completed prior to next August will be added to this table, so by then the ratings will be based on a full four years of results. Then, in August, the first year of results will be dropped, so the table will then cover the past three years of results. This pattern is repeated each August, with the oldest of the four years of results removed to be gradually replaced with results of matches played over the following twelve months. This means that once a year the positions could change overnight without any new Test Matches being played.
To add further there will always be two time zones - period covering the earliest two years of matches and the other covering the subsequent; weightings are applied at 50% for the first one and in full for the latter. As on date the rating is as under :
Did you find this interesting ?!?!?!
With regards – S Sampathkumar.
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