DNA Explainer: How ICC calculates rankings of top cricketers and best teams

In the latest ICC rankings for ODI Batsman, Babar Azam of Pakistan ranks first followed by Indian batting juggernauts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma respectively. For ODI Bowlers' rankings, New Zealand's Trent Boult topped the spot with Josh Hazlewood of Australia securing the second spot and Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the third spot.

As for ICC ODI All-Rounder Rankings, Bangladeshi player Shakib Al Hasan topped the chart followed by Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi and England's Chris Woakes in the second and third spot respectively. In Men's ODI Team Rankings, New Zealand tops the ICC chart with England and Australia not lagging far behind. 

But do you know how ICC calculates rankings of top cricketers and best teams? ICC Player Ranking is a table where the performance of international cricketers is ranked using a Points Base System. Players are rated on a scale of 0 to 1000 points. So here's a look at the process.

ICC Players Ranking formula

ICC player rating is worked out by dividing the points scored by the match/series total, with the answer given to the nearest whole number.

It can be compared with a batting average, but with points instead of total runs scored and a match/series total instead of the number of times dismissed.

If a player's performance is better than the previous year's performance then his points increase; and if performance decreases then ranking points also decrease.

The value of each player's performance within a match is calculated using an algorithm which is a series of calculations keeping in mind the different situations in each match.

This algorithm (all pre-programmed) also takes care of runs scored and wickets taken by a player in the match.

If the player has contributed well for his team during the critical time then the value of his performance is considered to be high.

A batsman is Out or Not Out makes all the difference. Bonus points are given to Not out players.

Ratings of the opposing bowling attack; the higher the combined ratings of the bowling attack, in proportion more value is given to the batsman's innings. 

Runs scored meaning more runs means more bonus points. A century in the second innings will get more credit than in the first inning. 

At which juncture runs are scored also makes a difference. If a player score runs when his team was in crisis, then the player gets more rating points. 

If both teams score 500 in innings, then the computer rates it as a high-scoring match, so 100 runs by a player in this innings is worth lesser to a low-scoring match.

If a player has scored more runs in a match and his team wins then he gets bonus points. But bonus points will be more if the victory is against a strong team.

There is no human intervention in this calculation process of the ranking and no subjective assessment is done.

It is also important to mention here that factors counted in the calculation of the player's performance are different for Test cricket, ODI and T-20.

ICC considers very small factors (like playing conditions, runs, the strength of the opposite team etc) while calculating the ranking of the players.

ICC uses 'rankings' to refer to the positions of players in the tables, and 'ratings' to refer to their points.

ICC Team Rankings 

The ICC Team Rankings is a rating method developed by David Kendix to rank men's teams playing across Test, One-Day International and Twenty20 International formats.

The same rating method is used to rank women's cricket teams playing One-Day International and Twenty20 International cricket.

This rating is worked out by dividing the points scored by the match/series total, with the answer given to the nearest whole number.

It can be compared with a batting average, but with points instead of total runs scored and a match/series total instead of the number of times dismissed.

Ranking for wicket-keepers

No ranking is issued for a wicket-keeper because his performance depends on the performance of the bowler as to how much he has been supported by the bowler.

Therefore it is difficult to rank him. Similarly, rating points can not be issued for fielding.