Former England captain Michael Vaughan slams ICC Rankings, labels it 'garbage'

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has labelled the ICC rankings 'garbage' and claimed that New Zealand and England do not deserve to be placed as high as they are in the Test rankings.

New Zealand occupy the second spot in the ICC Test Rankings with 112 rating points, behind only India, who have 120 points to their name.

England, on the other hand, are placed fourth with 102 points, tied with Australia and South Africa.

However, Michael Vaughan is of the opinion that both New Zealand and England deserve to be ranked a lot lower than second and fourth respectively.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Vaughan expressed his frustrations with the ranking system, saying:

"I will be dead honest about the ICC rankings. I think they are absolute garbage. I have no idea how - New Zealand have won plenty of series over the course of the last two years - but for them to be second, and where it stands out for me that the rankings can't be right is that England in Test match cricket are third (now fourth), and England for three or four years have struggled in Test match cricket, particularly overseas."

"They (England) have won series at home. They have only just drawn the Ashes in English conditions, they only just beat Ireland. I think the rankings are a little bit confusing. I certainly don't, in my opinion, have New Zealand as the second-best Test match nation in the world. I think, particularly over here in Australia, Australia are a far better Test match team."

Vaughan also believes that Australia deserve to be ranked much higher as they are the best team in the world alongside India.

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The rankings are expected to undergo a major alteration with plenty of teams in action over the next couple of months.

England will take on South Africa in a four-match Test series starting tomorrow, while Australia and New Zealand will also lock horns on Boxing Day in the second match of their three-match series.