The International Cricket Council Player Rankings is a widely followed system of rankings for international cricketers based on their recent performances. The current sponsor is MRF Tyres who signed a 4-year deal with the ICC that will last until 2020.[1]
The ratings were developed at the suggestion of Ted Dexter in 1987.[2] The intention was to produce a better indication of players' current standing in the sport than is provided by comparing their averages. Career averages are based on a player's entire career and do not make any allowance for match conditions or the strength of the opposition, whereas the ratings are weighted towards recent form and account for match conditions and the quality of the opponent using statistical algorithms.[3]
Initially the rankings were for Test cricket only, but separate One Day International rankings were introduced in 1998. Both sets of rankings have now been calculated back to the start of those forms of the game. The rankings include the top 10 Test, ODI and T20I batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders based on the rating of each player.
Rankings calculations
The player rankings are a weighted average of all a player's performances, with recent matches weighted most heavily (so the overall effect of a good or bad performance decline over time). Each match performance is given a rating out of 1000, based on a set of pre-determined criteria, and these figures averaged.[4] This means that the maximum possible overall rating is 1000, and a player gaining a rating of 900 is seen as an exceptional achievement.[5] Separate lists are maintained for batting and bowling and an all-rounder rating is also published, which is obtained by multiplying a player's batting and bowling rating together and dividing by 1000.
For batting, the performance rating is based on a combination of runs scored, the rating of the opposition bowlers, match result and comparison to the overall scores in the match. A bowler gains points based on wickets taken, runs conceded and match result, with more points gained for dismissing highly rated batsmen. A damping-factor is applied to a player's rating at the start of their career, so they do not get a full rating for their performances until they have played about 20 Tests.
Current rankings
Historical rankings
Historical Test cricket rankings
Year end top ranked players in Test cricket
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Batsmen and Bowlers with a peak rating of 900 points or more
Historical One Day International (ODI) cricket rankings
Year end top ranked players in ODI cricket
Top 10 rankings: batting and bowling
Historical T20I rankings
Year end top ranked players in T20I cricket
| Date | Top Batsman | Country | Top Bowler | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dawid Malan |  England | Rashid Khan |  Afghanistan |
| 2019 | Babar Azam |  Pakistan | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan |
| 2018 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | Rashid Khan | Afghanistan |
| 2017 | Aaron Finch | .svg.png){kind=small} Australia | Imad Wasim | Pakistan |
| 2016 | Virat Kohli |  India | Imran Tahir |  South Africa |
| 2015 | Aaron Finch | Australia | Sunil Narine |  West Indies |
| 2014 | Virat Kohli | India | Samuel Badree | West Indies |
| 2013 | Alex Hales | England | Sunil Narine | West Indies |
| 2012 | Shane Watson | Australia | Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan |
| 2011 | Eoin Morgan | England | Ajantha Mendis |  Sri Lanka |
| 2010 | Kevin Pietersen | England | Graeme Swann | England |
| 2009 | Graeme Smith | South Africa | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan |
| 2008 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Pakistan | Umar Gul | Pakistan |
| 2007 | Andrew Symonds | Australia | Umar Gul | Pakistan |
| 2006 | Graeme Smith | South Africa | Andre Adams |  New Zealand |
| 2005 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | Brett Lee | Australia |
Top 10 T20I rankings: batting and bowling
See also
- ICC Test Championship
- ICC ODI Championship
- ICC T20I Championship
- International cricket
- ICC Women's Rankings
References
- ^ "ICC announces MRF Tyres as Global Partner". International Cricket Council. 20 January 2016. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ Eastaway, Rob. "How the World Cricket Rankings were born".
- ^ "About ICC Cricket Rankings".
- ^ "ICC Player Rankings". www.relianceiccrankings.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "ICC Player Rankings". www.relianceiccrankings.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever Test Championship Rating - Batting". ICC. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever Test Championship Rating - Bowling". ICC. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever ODI Championship Rating - Batting". Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever ODI Championship Rating - Bowling". Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever T20I Championship Rating - Batting". Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "ICC Best-Ever T20I Championship Rating - Bowling". Retrieved 2 December 2020.