The Indian cricket team has become the
number one ranked Test team after handing a heavy defeat to New Zealand in the
second match of a two-Test series. Virat Kohli’s men sit on top of the ranking
table with 3,465 points and a rating of 124 ahead of second placed Kiwis. 

Kohli lauds India’s clinical performance after dominating win vs NZ

Mayank Agarwal and Ravichandran Ashwin had a
big role to play in the victory. The opener’s 150 run stand in the first
innings ensured stability in the batting line-up while it was work as usual for
Ashwin.

The Indian spin sensation took eight
wickets in the match (four in both innings). Ashwin dismantled the top
order with support from Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav.

India vs New Zealand Test series in numbers

Wridhiman Saha completed an excellent
stumping and the home side went on to win the match by 372 runs.

The Indians came out on top in the home
series and avenged the World Test Championship loss to New Zealand which broke
hearts earlier this year. 

India beat New Zealand by 372 runs in 2nd Test; clinch series 1-0

The third position in the ranking is occupied
by Australia and the top five is rounded off with England and Pakistan in the
fourth and fifth spot respectively.

India lost the throne of being the number
one Test side in May 2020 when records of the 2016/17 reason were eliminated.
In order to retain the number one spot India needed to register victory over
New Zealand with less than an hour’s play left to take New Zealand’s last five
wickets.

2021 has been ‘dream year’ but want to keep improving, says Axar Patel

The difficult Mumbai pitch made it next to
impossible for the Kiwis to stay on the pitch for long.

However, the Kiwis have a cause to be
happy. Their Indian origin spinner Ajaz Patel took all ten wickets in the first
innings of the match and became the part of an elite list which includes just
two other legends – Anil Kumble and Jim Laker.