India climb two spots to fourth in Test ranking

Dubai, May 11 (IANS) India on Monday gained four points and climbed two rungs in the ladder to rest at the fourth position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test team rankings as heavy defeats against England and Australia in 2011-12 no longer count.

South Africa have extended their advantage over Australia from six points to 22 points at the top of the rankings following the annual update, according to an ICC release. 

The annual update has also seen a reshuffle in the middle of the pack and now just three rankings points separate third-ranked New Zealand from seventh-ranked Sri Lanka. Prior to the annual update, the gap between the third and seventh ranked sides was seven points.

Fifth-ranked England and sixth-ranked Pakistan have slipped on the ladder after dropping five points apiece. This is due to England's 4-0 win over India and Pakistan's 3-0 clean sweep over England among other results in 2011-12 being dropped from the rankings calculations.

Eighth-ranked West Indies have gained five ratings points to reduce the gap with seventh-ranked Sri Lanka from 17 points to 12 points. 

Bangladesh have collected six points and Zimbabwe have dropped 13 points as the difference between the two bottom-ranked sides have increased to 34 points.

As fifth-ranked England will take on New Zealand in a two-Test series starting on May 21 and sixth-ranked Pakistan travel to Sri Lanka next month for a three-match Test series, the series outcomes may well result in significant movements on the rankings.