Indian cricket team end year as top Test team after England drubbing

The Virat Kohli-led side have now extended their unbeaten streak to 18 Tests — the longest in the history of Indian cricket — bettering India’s earlier record of 17 Tests without a defeat between September 1985 and March 1987

Dubai: India have ended 2016 as the number-one ranked side in the ICC Test Team Rankings after registering a crushing victory by an innings and 75 runs in the final Test to finish the five-match series 4-0 against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

The series win have helped India gain five points and they have moved to 120 points in the last Test team rankings, 15 points ahead of second-placed Australia.

Also Read: India thrash England by 75 runs to clinch series 4-0

In contrast, England, which had started the series tied with Australia on 105 points but was ahead on decimal points, have slipped from second to fifth position.

Riding on Karun Nair’s unbeaten 303 and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s seven for 48, a ruthless India on Tuesday hammered England by an innings and 75 runs in the fifth cricket Test and clinched the five-match rubber 4-0.

The Virat Kohli-led side have now extended their unbeaten streak to 18 Tests — the longest in the history of Indian cricket — bettering India’s earlier record of 17 Tests without a defeat between September 1985 and March 1987.

The 4-0 victory is also India’s highest against the English side since the 3-0 win in the 1992-93 series.  Jadeja, who emerged the wrecker-in-chief in the second essay, took his overall match tally to 10 wickets with his three scalps in the first innings.

England are now on 101 points, one point behind Pakistan and South Africa, which are both on 102 points each with Pakistan ranked third on decimals points.

Also Read: INDvsENG: India finish 2016 at the top of ICC Test Team Rankings

This means that four teams are now within four points of each other with the annual cut-off date of April 1 for the ICC cash awards not far away.

The Virat Kohli-led side, which was awarded the ICC Test Championship Mace on October 11 following a 3-0 home series sweep over New Zealand, can’t be overtaken this year since the team rankings are updated only at the end of each Test series.

The next Test series to be completed is the ongoing one between Australia and Pakistan with the third and final Test slated in Sydney from January 3 and January 7.