India to get USD 1 million on achieving the No. 1 position in ICC Test rankings

New Delhi: Virat Kohli-led Indian team clinched the No. 1 spot in ICC Test rankings having completed a 3-0 clean sweep over New Zealand.

In doing so, India dethroned Pakistan at the top of Test teams' charts.

As per the International Cricket Council regulations, the side that tops the Test Team Rankings on that date will receive a cash award of USD 1million. The side placed second will get USD 500,000 while those finishing third and fourth will receive USD 200,000 and USD 100,000, respectively.

Only seven points separate the top four teams with second-ranked Pakistan (111), third-placed Australia (108) and fourth-placed England (108) all featuring in upcoming Test series.

Pakistan, which is playing the West Indies in a three-Test series in the UAE this month, is also due to tour New Zealand and Australia over the next few months. Other upcoming series include England and Australia's tour of India and tours by South Africa and New Zealand to Australia.

The busy calendar means that the race to the top spot for the annual cut-off date of April 1 can be expected to be intense.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli was today presented with the ICC Test Championship mace for leading his team to the top of the Test Team Rankings.

The mace was presented by former India captain and ICC Cricket Hall of Famer Sunil Gavaskar at a ceremony following the conclusion of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Indore after the home team completed a 3-0 whitewash.

India were guaranteed number-one spot on the ICC Test Team Rankings after it took a 2-0 lead in Kolkata. Since the Test team rankings are only updated at the end of the series, India formally replaced Pakistan at the top of the table at the end of the Indore Test, which they won by 321 runs.

(With PTI inputs)