England creep into top three on Test rankings

England and Sri Lanka have improved their positions on the ICC Test Team Championship after winning their series against India and Pakistan, respectively.

England and Sri Lanka have improved their positions on the ICC Test Team Championship after winning their series against India and Pakistan, respectively.

England defeated India 3-1 in the series that finished at The Oval on Sunday, while Sri Lanka beat Pakistan 2-0 in Colombo on Monday.

These results mean England vaulted two places to third, while Sri Lanka moved up one place to fourth. In contrast, India slipped one place to fifth while Pakistan dropped two places to sixth.

The 3-1 series win earned England four ratings points but India conceded six ratings points, while Sri Lanka gained six ratings points and Pakistan was docked seven ratings points.

England lead Sri Lanka by three ratings points, while the latter are ahead of India and Pakistan by five ratings points. India and Pakistan are on equal ratings points at 96, but MS Dhoni's side is ranked ahead of Misbah-ul-Haq's side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Number-one ranked South Africa are sitting on top of the table, but Australia are just one ratings point behind. Michael Clarke's side will have one eye on the number-one spot when they arrive in the UAE in October, but to regain the coveted position, they will have to win both Tests against Pakistan.

Mid-table is tight, with 11 ratings points separating third-ranked England from seventh-ranked New Zealand. With a lot of Test cricket to be played over the next five months, further changes to the Championship table is on the cards.

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