Four teams with the highest Win-Loss ratio since the 2015 World Cup

Four years is a long time for teams to build themselves ahead of the showpiece event and iron out the flaws that proceeded to derail their campaign in the last World Cup.

Since the last 50-over World Cup across the Trans-Tasman, while some teams, notably, Australia, the current reigning World Champions have been on a downward spiral, having failed to win a bilateral series since early January 2017.

But unlike the Aussies, there have been teams who have managed to address the visible chinks in their armour, and through sheer consistency, have proceeded to emerge as serious contenders for next year's marquee event in England and Wales.

So, in this blog today, as we build up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, we will look at four teams with the highest Win-Loss ratio since the 2015 World Cup.

Here's my compilation:-

#4 New Zealand (1.40)

The perennial 'dark horse'

Played: 62 Won: 35 Lost: 25 Tied: 0 N/R: 2 W/L ratio: 1.40

At No.4 comes the perennial 'dark horse' of World Cricket- New Zealand. The runner-up of the 2015 World Cup, New Zealand have managed to put in consistent performances over a period of time even after losing their talismanic leader Brendon McCullum to retirement in early 2016.

Kane Williamson took over the reigns of the Blackcaps from Baz and has proceeded to create a sense of calm around the team, while still retaining the mindset of playing aggressive cricket, a legacy of captain McCullum.

A group-stage exit in the 2017 Champions Trophy notwithstanding, New Zealand has maintained excellent consistency throughout, having won 35 matches out of 62, with a Win/Loss ratio of 1.40.

#3 South Africa (1.48)

Consistent, as ALWAYS

Played: 55 Won: 31 Lost: 21 Tied: 0 N/R: 1 W/L ratio: 1.48

They may have been drubbed 1-5 by India at home back in January, but it is safe to say that the Proteas have been a hugely consistent side post their tearful exit from the 2015 World Cup.

A hugely disappointing group-stage exit from the 2017 Champions Trophy notwithstanding, which saw talismanic skipper AB de Villiers relinquish the reins to Faf du Plessis, South Africa pulled off some memorable heists post the 2015 showpiece event, a 3-2 win in India (2015) and a 5-0 drubbing at the expense of Australia in 2016, bores a true testimony to it.

While they've lost AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel to retirement, and with Dale Steyn hugely injury-prone, the Proteas have some exciting new talents at their disposal; Aiden Markram, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi, and Henrich Klaasen, which makes them a team to watch out for by the time 2019 rolls on.

In 53 matches since the last World Cup, South Africa have won 31 of 'em, with a win-loss ratio of 1.48.

#2 India (2.05)

India won a historic 5-1 ODI series win in SA

Played: 59 Won: 39 Lost: 19 Tied: 0 N/R: 1 W/L ratio: 2.05

India's journey post the 2015 World Cup can be analyzed into two distinct phases. After bowing out from the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup, India under Dhoni proceeded to lose its first ever ODI series against Bangladesh (1-2), a home series against South Africa (2-3) and 1-4 in Australia in the 2015-16 season.

Part of India's problems during that period was a lack of potency in the fast-bowling department, with Bhuvi struggling with injuries and the likes of Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav being woefully inconsistent. Enters Jasprit Bumrah and since then India has managed to string together one of the most potent bowling pairs in contemporary white-ball cricket.

In the middle of the 2016-17 season, with Virat Kohli's astounding run-of-form, both as a leader in Test cricket started murmurs on him being graduated to lead in all formats of the game. Ahead of the impending 3-match ODI series against England in early January 2018, Dhoni shocked the world by relinquishing the captaincy duties to Kohli.

A 2-1 series win against England was followed by a Champions Trophy campaign, which saw the Men in Blue lose to Pakistan in the finals. The loss in the finals proved to be another flashpoint, as the duo of Ashwin (Average of 47.3 at a strike-rate of 50.6) and Jadeja (Average of 61.58 at a strike-rate of 67.5) were dropped in favour of two wrist-spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. Since then, India has defeated Windies (2-1), Sri Lanka (5-0 & 2-1), Australia (4-1) and South Africa (5-1).

So, what changed for India post-Champions Trophy? It was their spinners ability to pick wickets in the middle-overs, with Kuldeep (28 wickets at 20.77) and Chahal (34 wickets at 21.88) choking the batsman into submission.

Post 2015-World Cup, the Men in Blue have played 59 matches, winning 39 of them with a Win/Loss ratio of 2.05.

#1 England (2.42)

The modern-day trend-setters

Played: 69 Won: 46 Lost: 19 Tied: 1 N/R: 3 W/L ratio: 2.42

For the better part of the past 20 years, English cricket looked at white-ball cricket with disdain. It almost liked they were playing ODI cricket of a different era. To draw a parallel out of their approach, every time England batted pre-2015, it seemed they were riding on a Bullock cart while other teams were driving in a Ferrari.

It needed a catastrophic 2015 World campaign to wake them from slumber and look what has happened since then. An excruciatingly sedate mindset was replaced by an ultra-aggressive approach, with their batting setting a new benchmark with every passing day.

In Hales, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Ali, Morgan, Roy, and off-course skipper Eoin Morgan (England's highest ODI run-getter), the poms boast of a fearsome batting-order that is continually raising the bar for other teams to follow. Since the 2015 World Cup, England have scored 11 totals more than 350 (Before 2015:-2) and three 400 plus totals, the most recent being a World record 6-481 at the expense of Australia at Trent Bridge.

A true testimony to their surge as a limited-over powerhouse is reflected in the results. A (2-3) loss to the Proteas in early 2016 and (1-2) reversal in India notwithstanding, England proceeded to defeat New Zealand (3-2, both home and away), Pakistan (5-0), South Africa (2-1, home) and Australia (5-0 - home, 4-1- away) post the 2015 showpiece event.

While they still need to win a major World event to forever impinge their name in cricketing folklore, after having crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy, no one can deny the giant strides English cricket has taken post the 2015 disaster.