There was a pleasant surprise in store for India as the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the latest edition of the ICC Test Rankings after the annual update. Despite not playing any Test cricket in 2026 so far, the Shubman Gill-led side displaced England and climbed to third spot. The two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalists have 104 points, while Ben Stokes’ men have 103 points as things stand.
The rankings released on Friday (May 1) saw the annual update, which means results of only the last three years were taken into consideration. For those unversed, this means that results in the last year (from 1st May, 2025) are given full weightage (100%), while performances from the preceding two years are given 50% weightage.
Why India Gained One Place In ICC Test Ranking
India’s rise in the rankings has come as a surprise to many, as the Asian giants last played a red-ball international match six months ago in November 2025. Their last outing in red-ball cricket was the humiliating whitewash on home soil against World Test Champions South Africa by a 2-0 margin.
However, the latest update means that results before 30th April 2023 are not taken into account. The year before that was a golden period in Test cricket for the England cricket team as they beat India in a one-off Test match and whitewashed New Zealand at home 3-0 and also won a three-match series against South Africa by a 2-1 margin. In this period, they also beat Pakistan 3-0 in a three-match series away from home. They also won a series against New Zealand away from home.
Another team to benefit from the new update is India’s arch-rivals Pakistan, who have gone past Sri Lanka and are now sixth in the table.
Meanwhile, Australia and South Africa remain in first and second spots. The two teams that played in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) are also on top of the standings in the 2025-27 cycle as things stand.
ICC Test Rankings (1st May 2026)
India’s Next Test Match
India will return to action in Test cricket next month when they face Afghanistan in a one-off Test match at New Chandigarh’s Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium from June 6. This will mark the first Test match at the new venue of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). Meanwhile, this will be the first time India and Afghanistan will play a red-ball international match since 2018.
The only time the two Asian countries have played a Test was in June 2018 at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. That marked the first Test match Afghanistan played in their history. However, this game is not part of the 2025-27 WTC cycle.
India’s next assignment in the WTC will be a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, away from home, in August 2026. Later, they will travel to New Zealand for two Tests. India’s only remaining home series in the ongoing WTC cycle is a five-match Test series against Australia (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) from 21st January to 3rd March 2027.
India’s WTC Final Hopes In Danger
India’s hopes of reaching the 2027 WTC final are in real danger as they are likely to miss out on the summit clash for the second time in a row. Gill’s men are currently sixth on the table with 48.15 percent. They need to win seven of the nine remaining games.
