ICC men's player rankings explained

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

Test rankings

Top 10 Test batsmen

ICC Top 10 Test Batsmen
Rank	Name	Rating
1		872
2		859
3		768
	Daryl Mitchell
5		757
6		751
7		749
8		740
9		739
10		737

Top 10 Test bowlers

ICC Top 10 Test Bowlers
Rank	Name	Rating
1		870
2		847
	Jasprit Bumrah
4		830
5		820
6		801
7		788
8		733
9		729
10		724

Top 10 Test all-rounders

ICC Top 10 Test All-rounders
Rank	Name	Rating
1		444
2		322
3		310
4		284
5		269
6		266
7		264
8		245
9		237
10		230

ODI rankings

Top 10 ODI batsmen

ICC Top 10 ODI Batsmen
Rank	Name	Rating
1		824
2		765
3		763
4		746
	Harry Tector
6		728
7		723
8		708
9		707
10		701

Top 10 ODI all-rounders

T20I rankings

Top 10 T20I batsmen

ICC Top 10 T20I Batsmen
Rank	Name	Rating
1		844
2		805
3		797
4		757
5		755
6		746
7		716
8		664
9		656
10		655

Top 10 T20I all-rounders

Historical rankings

Historical Test cricket rankings

Year end top ranked players in Test cricket

Year	Top Batsman	Country	Rating	Top Bowler	Country	Rating	Top All-rounder	Country	Rating
2023			864	Ravichandran Ashwin		879			455
2022			925			872			369
2021			915			902			382
2020			890			906			446
2019			899			902			473
2018			931			880			415
2017			947			892			437
2016			937	Ravichandran Ashwin		887			481
2015			899	Ravichandran Ashwin		871			405
2014			893			906			398
2013			912			909			387
2012			900			880			387
2011			863			898			404
2010			882			897			429
2009			877			836			452
2008			901			897			447
2007			933			907			537
2006			937			913			439
2005			886			867			476
2004			881			870			500
2003			905			908			518
2002			906			911			615
2001			905			902			503
2000			877			901			461
1999			892			904			464
1998			861			871			453
1997			828			853			356
1996			894			872			389
1995			898			876			386
1994			776			905			274
1993			821			907			323
1992			852			868			331
1991			871			834			475
1990			789			845			466
1989			876			897			442
1988			808			900			425
1987			833			905			457
1986			829			903			440
1985			817			909			446
1984			783			897			443
1983			806			856			487
1982			892			909			491
1981			908			866			528
1980			903			888			546
1979			875			897			534
1978			833			837			399
1977			872			824			351
1976			913			850			412
1975			842			849			485
1974			845			712			471
1973			789			721			489
1972			776			884			506
1971			834			843			538
1970			865			845			504
1969			896			849			504
1968			918			845			655
1967			938			866			647
1966			935			843			644
1965			873			863			529
1964			894			878			604
1963			894			880			604
1962			907			898			556
1961			896			899			437
1960			933			896			468
1959			881			874			473
1958			894			908			503
1957			905			856			382
1956			937			896			337
1955			938			817			513
1954			916			892			465
1953			926			897			464
1952			917			862			548
1951			916			899			481
1950			903			869			349
1949			853			822			303
1948			903			830			277
1947			950			595			269
1946			953			545			271
1945	No Test cricket took place (due to World War II)
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
1939			952			887			334
1938			952			887			346
1937			948			897			370
1936			885			839			341
1935			941			830			286
1934			960			826			298
1933			909			783			326
1932			873			841			305
1931			847			801			259
1930			844			757			232
1929			852			739			274
1928			857			851			257
1927			889			848			324
1926			898			857			324
1925			859			838			377
1924			872			734			364
1923			844			706			379
1922			868			706			379
1921			877			706			379
1920			938			578			398
1919	No Test cricket took place (due to World War I)
1918
1917
1916
1915
1914			940			578			398
1913			939			930			423
1912			942			917			440
1911			853			688			486
1910			774			709			373
1909			649			793			342
1908			682			734			373
1907			706			755			341
1906			696			726			337
1905			749			763			337
1904			799			860			450
1903			862			822			333
1902			886			830			330
1901			705			652			256
1900			673			678			260
1899			673			678			260
1898			753			763			222
1897			607			794			231
1896			618			827			372
1895			646			870			414
1894			699			883			332
1893			732			886			290
1892			713			862			310
1891			653			805			371
1890			653			805			371
1889			678			817			376
1888			692			774			392
1887			677			658			318
1886			733			827			282
1885			645			783			300
1884			671			797			253
1883			603			643			225
1882			628			557			180
1881			436			433
1880			436			433
1879			433			437
1878			466			384
1877			466			384

Batsmen, Bowlers and All-rounders with a peak rating of 900 points or more

Batsmen with a peak rating of 900 points or more^[6]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			961	1948
2			947	2017
3			945	1954
4			942	1912
			942	2006
6			941	1956
7			938	1981
			938	2007
			938	1967
			938	1955
11			937	2018
12			936	2022
13			935	2002
			935	2007
			935	2014
16			933	2006
17			927	1956
			927	1970
19			923	2022
20			922	1951
			922	1970
22			921	1953
			921	2008
24			919	2021
25			917	1948

Bowlers with a peak rating of 900 points or more^[7]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			932	1914
2			931	1896
3			922	1983
4			920	2007
5			914	2001
			914	2019
7			912	1994
			912	1958
			912	2013
10			911	1980
11			910	1988
12			909	1993
			909	1985
			909	1999
			909	2014
16			908	1961
17			907	1971
18			905	1994
19			904	2016
20			903	1953
			903	2018
22			902	2018
23			901	1936
			901	1946
25			900	1952

All-rounders with a peak rating of 500 points or more^[8]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			669	1967
2			645	1980
3			615	2002
4			572	1952
5			532	1959
6			517	1983
7			508	1975
8			501	2005
			501	1911
10			500	2000

Historical One Day International (ODI) cricket rankings

Year end top ranked players in ODI cricket

Year	Top Batsman	Country	Rating	Top Bowler	Country	Rating	Top All-rounder	Country	Rating
2023			824			716			310
2022			893			737			389
2021			873			737			416
2020			870			722			373
2019			887			785			319
2018			911			841			353
2017			876			759			352
2016			861			718			377
2015			900			734			415
2014			887	Sunil Narine		753			408
2013			872			776			376
2012			901			747			425
2011			840			735			419
2010			849			727			434
2009			825			717			453
2008			771			754			381
2007			829			843			466
2006			815			905			473
2005			803			832			453
2004			789			822			511
2003			816			877			509
2002			778			887			463
2001			835			898			449
2000			855			856			449
1999			859			812			491
1998			887			793			437
1997			883			800			434
1996			891			827			361
1995			880			787			464
1994			826			780			407
1993			863			825			398
1992			858			816			435
1991			894			870			476
1990			913			813			442
1989			870			778			475
1988			888			780			516
1987			933			814			521
1986			932			891			556
1985			935			921			573
1984			932			918			545
1983			931			914			618
1982			901			878			523
1981			884			814			547
1980			817			764			371
1979			733			646			251
1978			670			560			245
1977			677			517			222
1976			654			540			165
1975			656			497			170
1974			517			444			125
1973			465			410			90
1972			371			376			60
1971			246			141			13

Top 10 rankings: batting, bowling and all-rounder

Top 10 Rankings Batting^[9]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			935	1985
2			931	1983
3			921	1981
4			919	1983
5			918	1991
6			911	2018
7			910	1987
8			908	1993
9			902	2015
10			901	2012

Top 10 Rankings Bowling^[10]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			940	1985
2			923	1983
3			917	2007
4			913	2002
5			903	2002
6			892	1984
7			891	1985
			891	1982
9			877	1991
10			875	1985

Top 10 Rankings All-rounder^[11]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			631	1985
2			568	1982
3			543	2004
4			532	1985
5			521	1999
6			509	2003
7			505	2001
8			501	1988
9			494	2008
10			480	1983
			480	1986

Historical T20I rankings

Year end top ranked players in T20I cricket

Year	Top Batsman	Country	Rating	Top Bowler	Country	Rating	Top All-rounder	Country	Rating
2023			887			726			256
2022			890			704			252
2021			805			797			265
2020			915			736			294
2019			879			749			319
2018			858			793			362
2017			784			719			353
2016			820			740			388
2015			854			773			361
2014			897			831			378
2013			842			817			446
2012			799			756			531
2011			821			739			379
2010			847			760			381
2009			766			803			412
2008			645			689			209
2007			636			557			228
2006			548			183			71
2005			464			110			20

Top 10 T20I rankings: batting and bowling

Top 10 Rankings Batting^[12]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			915	2020
2			910	2023
3			900	2018
4			897	2014
5			896	2019
6			882	2010
7			875	2022
8			872	2011
9			866	2014
10			854	2018

Top 10 Rankings Bowling^[13]

Rank	Name	Played for	Highest rating	Year
1			857	2009
2			855	2014
3			850	2010
4			821	2021
5			817	2013
6			816	2018
7			814	2009
8			806	2022
9			797	2021
10			795	2017

See also

• ICC men's Test team rankings
• ICC men's ODI team rankings
• ICC men's T20I team rankings
• International cricket
• ICC women's player rankings

External links

• ICC Official site
• Current and Historical rankings
• ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings

Notes and References

1. Web site: ICC announces MRF Tyres as Global Partner . International Cricket Council . 27 January 2016 . 20 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160523132037/http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2016/media-releases/91558/icc-announces-mrf-tyres-as-global-partner . 23 May 2016 . dead . dmy-all .
2. Web site: Eastaway. Rob. How the World Cricket Rankings were born.
3. Web site: About ICC Cricket Rankings.
4. Web site: ICC Player Rankings. www.relianceiccrankings.com. 20 December 2018.
5. Web site: ICC Player Rankings. www.relianceiccrankings.com. 20 December 2018.
6. Web site: ICC Best-Ever Test Championship Rating - Batting. ICC. 20 August 2019.
7. Web site: ICC Best-Ever Test Championship Rating - Bowling. ICC. 20 August 2019.
8. Web site: All-Time Test All-Rounder Rankings. ICC. 13 March 2022.
9. Web site: ICC Best-Ever ODI Championship Rating - Batting. 20 May 2016.
10. Web site: ICC Best-Ever ODI Championship Rating - Bowling. 20 May 2016.
11. Web site: All-Time ODI All Rounder Rankings. 13 March 2022.
12. Web site: ICC Best-Ever T20I Championship Rating - Batting. 2 December 2020.
13. Web site: ICC Best-Ever T20I Championship Rating - Bowling. 2 December 2020.