'My boys played tough cricket in tough times': Ravi Shastri lauds Team India on retaining no.1 Test rank
Team India head coach Ravi Shastri lauded the Indian team after it retained the number one Test ranking after the annual update on Thursday.
India head the table after gaining one rating point for an aggregate of 121, having accumulated 2914 points from 24 matches.
Virat Kohli's men are closely followed by their World Test Championship final opponents, New Zealand, with a rating of 120. The Kiwis have garnered 2166 points from 18 Tests and gained two rating points.
Taking to his official Twitter account, Shastri wrote, "This team has shown steely resolve & unwavering focus to be crowned No. 1. It is something the boys have earned fair & square. Rules changed midway but #TeamIndia overcame every hurdle along the way. My boys played tough cricket in tough times. Super proud of this bindass bunch."
According to an ICC statement, the latest annual update eliminates results of 2017-18.
The latest update rates all matches played since May 2020 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent.
India's 2-1 win over Australia Down Under and 3-1 win over England in the home series earlier this year have helped them keep ahead of the pack.
The side will return to the longest format of the game in June when it takes on New Zealand in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in Southampton. The final will be played between June 18-22.
