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India-South Africa Test Series 2004>
India jump to third spot in ICC Test table
02nd Dec 2004 23.42 IST
By CricketZone Bureau

India have broken into the top three in the International Cricket Council's Test Championship table for the first time since the ranking system was introduced three and a half years ago.

A 1-0 home series win over South Africa, clinched by Harbhajan Singh's match-winning performance in the second Test on Thursday, was enough to lift India above Pakistan and leave Sourav Ganguly's side snapping at the heels of second-placed England.

India's current rating of 107 is also the highest it has had since the ICC Test Championship was launched in May 2001. Ganguly's men could move closer to England if they win their upcoming series in Bangladesh.

Australia's comfortable home series win against New Zealand extended its lead at the top of the table. The 2-0 victory means that Australia will end a second consecutive calendar year leading the official table by a large margin with a rating of 130.

The defeats round off a disappointing year of Test cricket for South Africa and New Zealand, which has seen their ratings fall by nine points and 11 points respectively.

ICC Test Championship table (Position, team, rating):

1. Australia 130

2. England 109

3. India 107

4. Pakistan 105

5. Sri Lanka 103

6. South Africa 100

7. New Zealand 93

8. West Indies 73

9. Zimbabwe 51

10. Bangladesh 0

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