Former England captain Michael Vaghan slammed the ranking system of the International Cricket Council (ICC) as “garbage” and feels a lot of changes are need to be made.
According to the ICC Test Team rankings, India are currently the number one team in the world followed by New Zealand, South Africa, England and Australia. However, Vaughan feels New Zealand and his own country England don’t deserve to get the second and fourth spot in the ICC Test rankings as they haven’t won enough Test series in the last two years.
“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 are third, and England for three or four years have struggled in Test match cricket, particularly overseas,” Vaughan told Sydney Morning Herald.
The former English captain also claimed that that current system of the ICC rankings is confusing and explained the reasons behind it.
“They have won 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,” he added.
Meanwhile, India are set to tour Australia at home. The men in yellow are in a threatening form in the longer format of the game at home. Vaughan believes India, who are currently the number one Test side can compete against Australia at their den. India’s new looking pace attack can challenge the hosts.
“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.”
“There was no Smith, no Warner, no (Marnus) Labuschagne in the Australian ranks in that series, I think the series later on next year, when India arrive back here, hopefully everyone will be fit. That Indian attack has got the pace, it has also got the spin, the batting unit has got all the experience. I only see only one team at this stage that can compete with Australia here and that is India,” Vaughan concluded.
