India on Monday reclaimed the top spot in the ICC rankings after winning the two-match series 1-0 against New Zealand, the reigning World Test champions. India beat New Zealand by 372 runs in the Mumbai Test on the fourth day after drawing the opening match in Kanpur. India had lost to New Zealand in the World Test Championship final in June. The Virat Kohli-led side now has 124 rating points and is followed by New Zealand (121), Australia (108), England (107), Pakistan (92), South Africa (88), Sri Lanka (83), West Indies (75), Bangladesh (49) and Zimbabwe (31).
On the World Test Championships (WTC) table, India are third with 42 points and win percentage of 58.33.
Sri Lanka lead the WTC standings with two wins in as many games, Pakistan are second with win a percentage of 66.66.
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed a match tally of eight wickets — and 300th scalp on home soil — as the hosts outclassed New Zealand in the second Test.
New Zealand, who started day four on 140-5 in their chase of an improbable 540, were all out for 167 before lunch in Mumbai.
Indian opener Mayank Agarwal made 150 in India’s first-innings total of 325 and then top-scored with 62, with the hosts declaring at 276-7 on day three.
India skipper Virat Kohli, who returned to lead the side after he stepped down as national Twenty20 captain and took a short break, lauded the team’s “clinical” showing.
Promoted
“To come back with a win is a great feeling, returning as the captain it was a clinical performance, something we’ve seen time and again,” said Kohli.
“You want individuals to step up, and guys did that. Even the first Test match was good, this was better.”
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