Best cricket teams across all formats (based on ICC Rankings)

In April, West Indies became the first team to win the World T20 twice. However, it is a well-known fact that the Windies have a relatively poor record in the longer formats of the game. With the latest ICC Rankings being released on May 4, we take a look at the top ten teams of the cricketing world across all formats.

With the latest ICC Rankings being released on May 4, we take a look at the top ten teams of the cricketing world across all formats. The rankings are based on the ICC Rankings of the teams in all three formats of the game – Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

Only teams that have Test cricket status – full members of the ICC – are the ones that have been considered for this list. Hence, Afghanistan who have been quite impressive in the 50-over and 20-over formats of late, miss out on making the top ten.

To come up with the final list, we have considered the accumulative rating points of the teams in all three formats as the criterion to judge the best team.

#10 – Zimbabwe – 117 points

At the bottom of the list, we have Zimbabwe with a total of 117 points in all three formats, with an average of 39 points. The team which once had a golden era in the late nineties and the early noughties never really regained their once strong cricketing setup with a lot of exodus of good players.

In the Test format, Zimbabwe are the lowest in the rankings in tenth position with 12 points. In the ODI and the T20I formats, they are at 11th and 12th positions with 47 and 58 points respectively.

They will be hoping to gain some points in the upcoming limited-overs series against India in the month of June.

#9 – Bangladesh – 229 points

Bangladesh, who were once upon a time minnows, have grown as a cricketing nation in the last couple of years and this shows in their ranking as the ninth-best cricket team across all formats. The Tigers have especially taken a liking to the ODI format where they are seventh in the table and above two former World Cup champions with 98 points.

However, in the Test and the T20I formats they are ninth and tenth in the tables respectively. In the T20I format, Bangladesh are below the maturing Afghanistan side. With young stars such as Mustafizur Rahman and Sabbir Rahman in their side and many more in the pipeline, their future does look secure and it can be expected that they will be a force to reckon with in the coming years.

#8 – West Indies – 275 points

Despite winning the ICC World T20 2016 and thus their second World T20 title, the Caribbeans find themselves languishing in the seventh spot in the list of best teams across all formats. In T20Is, West Indies are third in the table with 122 points, however, their Test and ODI rankings are not quite as impressive.

In the longest format of the game, the West Indies have been playing with a weakened side for the last year or so, led by the inexperienced and young Jason Holder. They are only above Bangladesh, leading the Asian side by just 8 points. In the ODI format, just like the Test format, missing out on key players has affected their rankings as they are at eighth.

West Indies had missed out on making it to the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy as they were out of the top 8 on the cut-off date for the 50-over tournament.

#7 – Sri Lanka – 290 points

Since the retirement of stalwarts, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka have been on a downward spiral with rare performances of consistency. They find themselves as the seventh-best cricket team.

Although their ranking in ODIs is fairly decent at 5th spot, their rankings in the other two formats are what let them down. In Tests, they are only above West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The 2014 World T20 champions find themselves in the eighth position in the T20 format, only above Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

The sooner The Islanders can move from the state of transition they are in now, the better it will be for them to start becoming a part of the top teams in the cricketing world.

#6 – Pakistan – 302 points

Fellow Asians, Pakistan find themselves in the sixth spot. Pakistan are one of the top three Test teams in the world, only behind Australia and India in the rankings. However, their records in limited overs make their overall ranking out of the top five teams.

In T20Is, Pakistan are seventh, just above sub-continent rivals, Sri Lanka. Their worst position is in the ODI format, however, languishing at ninth spot, above only Afghanistan.

This could be explained by a lack of an experienced campaigner in their limited-overs setup. The presence of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan in the Test squad has helped them grow as a better Test team in the recent past. Pakistan will be hoping that under the new administrative setup they will be able to improve in the other formats too.

#5 – England – 322 points

England surprised everyone by making it to the finals of ICC World T20 2016, defeating some of the favourites along the way. The founders of the game have always had strength in their sides, on paper, however when it came to major tournaments, they always under-performed.

They are in the top five of the Test and T20I rankings while they are the best sixth ODI team. With many young and quality players – like Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Jos Buttler – coming through the ranks, England will hope to move up in all the three tables.

If they can continue playing like the way they did during the World T20, their fortunes could turn for the better and they could end up becoming a stronger cricketing team.

#4 – South Africa – 323 points

Edging England by one point, South Africa take the fourth spot in the table. For every ICC tournament in the last few years, South Africa have been one of the main favourites. However, they have been given the tag of “chokers” following their reputation of losing out in the latter stages of a tournament after starting off well.

Before the tour to India in 2015, South Africa were the top-ranked Test side. But, following the mauling on Indian soil, the Proteas have lost their way in the longest format of the game dropping down to sixth in the table. They rank third and fourth in the ODI and T20I formats respectively.

With only the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy (then known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy) to their name, the Proteas will be desperate to win some silverware with players such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock in their ranks.

#3 – New Zealand – 343 points

One of the teams that have grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years is the New Zealand. Deservedly, they make the list of the best teams in third position. The Black Caps were the only team that remained unbeaten during the group stages of the World T20.

Under the leadership of the mercurial Brendon McCullum, the Kiwis became a force to reckon with in all formats. They are the number-one ranked side in T20Is, and are second in the ODIs, only behind World Champions Australia. In Tests, they are fifth in the table.

With 25-year-old Kane Williamson taking over the reins for New Zealand, it can be said that the Kiwis will only grow to become a better team in the coming years.

#2 – Australia – 352 points

World Champions, Australia make the list as the second-best cricket team. The Aussies are the number-one ranked side in both Tests and ODIs, however, they have failed to replicate that form in the shortest format of the game as they find themselves in the sixth position.

Australia continues to remain the team to beat as they give their best on a regular basis. Under the leadership of the unconventional and efficient Steven Smith, Australia will look to dominate all formats of the game like they did a decade or so ago under Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh.

#1 – India – 353 points

The number one side in world cricket right now is India. India has been in good form in the recent past and edges Australia by one point to take the top spot.

India are not top of any of the format's rankings and being consistent in all formats has helped the Men in Blue clinch the top spot. India has made it to the semi-finals of the last three ICC tournaments and is a team that can't be taken lightly in any format.

Although India's form in Tests abroad is not the best, it could all change under the leadership of India's new Test captain, Virat Kohli. With MS Dhoni's future in limited overs uncertain, once the baton is passed onto Kohli in the shorter formats too, India could grow much more under his aggressive and attacking leadership.