Absolute Garbage – Michael Vaughan Questions ICC Test Rankings
Dec 25, 2019 at 10:59 PM
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has questioned the ICC Test rankings. Vaughan fails to understand how New Zealand and England are placed at the second and fourth position respectively in the rankings table. England hasn’t had a great time in the Test format and they have struggled to get positive results while playing in the overseas conditions.
On the other hand, New Zealand hasn’t been able to deliver the goods consistently according to Vaughan. South Africa is placed at the third position in the Test rankings whereas India is at the numero uno position in the ICC Test rankings.
Vaughan isn’t impressed.
“I will be dead honest about the ICC rankings. I think they are absolute garbage. I have no idea how – New Zealand have won plenty of series over the course of the last two years – but for them to be second, and where it stands out for me that the rankings can’t be right is that England in Test match cricket is third, and England for three or four years has struggled in Test match cricket, particularly overseas,” Vaughan was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Furthermore, England had to toil hard for their win against Ireland. England drew the Ashes 2-2 and lost the two-match series against New Zealand by 1-0 to slip from the third place to the fourth.
“They have won a series at home. They have only just drawn the Ashes in English conditions, they only just beat Ireland. I think the rankings are a little bit confusing. I certainly don’t, in my opinion, have New Zealand as the second-best Test match nation in the world. I think, particularly over here in Australia, Australia are a far better Test match team,” Vaughan said.
“I think there are two teams, India and Australia, they are the best Test match teams in the world, without question. I think there is only one team that can come here and put Australia under pressure, that was 12 months ago, that they won here India,” he said.