ICC vigorously defends ODI ratings system

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a vigorous defence of its one-day rankings system as "objective, fair and fact-based," and said India fully deserved their current lowly status. The ICC's ODI rating system was lambasted when the latest rankings, issued last week, showed that India, beaten finalists in this year's World Cup, dropped from fifth place to eighth. That prompted Indian captain Sourav Ganguly to claim that the system defied logic.

But Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, defended the method of calculation. "The ICC ODI ratings assess the performances of a team over two years, not over two months," Speed said. "For example, India's unchanged rating reflects the fact that while it enjoyed some success in key tournaments, it has also performed quite poorly at other times against teams that were ranked below it in the table.

"The updated ratings table published last week indicates that there is little to separate the middle-ranking teams in world cricket," Speed continued. "On the field, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies are evenly matched and with only three points separating these teams, the table reflects just how close these sides are to each other."

The man who devised the system for the ICC, David Kendix, was also wheeled out to defend the latest rankings. "India's success at the World Cup does not alter history," he said. "Given their inconsistent performances against teams that were rated below them in the table, it should be of no surprise that India have been unable to improve their rating.

"Equally, a number of other teams have recently produced improved performances against stronger sides and so seen their ratings improve," Kendrix went on. "With results more than two years old no longer used to assess current form, some teams have seen impressive recent form replacing poor old form and, as you would expect, this has resulted in an improved rating for these sides.

"Unfortunately for India, since its recent results are broadly similar to its older results, its rating has not improved and so it has been narrowly overtaken in the overall standings."

Kendix said India had paid the price for playing weaker sides over the last two years than any of its rivals. India's schedule has pitted them against teams with an average rating of just 94 points while England (107) and New Zealand (105) have been consistently playing against more highly rated teams.

India will get a chance to move up the ratings when they face New Zealand and Australia in October and November.

More
ICC Press Release
The Kendix appendix
Comment - ICC ODI rankings no more than a joke