India regains second place in Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship

Mumbai: India has reclaimed second position from South Africa in the ICC Test Championship following its success over England in the two-Test series.

India won the first Test in Chennai by six wickets and drew the second in Mohali on Tuesday, enough to earn it two ratings points and go ahead of South Africa in second, a position it had briefly enjoyed after its 2-0 home series victory over Australia recently.

However, South Africa can once again regain second position if it wins its current three-match series against Australia by 2-1 or 2-0, or draws it 1-1. Graeme Smith’s side can even leapfrog Ricky Ponting’s side at the top of the ladder by a fraction of a point if it wins the remaining two Tests to sweep the series 3-0.

On the other side of the coin, if Australia wins the last two Tests it will not only widen the gap with South Africa to 15 points but will also dash the Proteas’ hopes of regaining the second position from India.

Meanwhile, there was no change in the West Indies’ and New Zealand’s pre-series points and positions after their two-Test series ended in a 0-0 draw in Napier on Tuesday.

The West Indies’s next Test commitment is in February when it hosts England for a four-Test series while New Zealand plays India in its own backyard in a two-Test series in March.