Australia beat India in race to year-end No. 1 Test spot

Assured of No. 2 Test team spot at the annual cut-off date on April 1, India set to bag $5 lakh

India set to finish at No. 2.

Assured of the number two Test team spot at the annual cut-off date on April 1, India is set to bag $5 lakh, even as the country held the top spot in the T20 format. 

Though India are sitting on top of the table in the shortest form of the game, they are not assured of continuing in the same position as a lot of T20 cricket is still to be played before the cut-off date.

India, who claimed number one spots in 2010 and 2011, earned a total of 110 points, finishing just two points behind leaders Australia's 112 in the Test rankings.

Australia grabbed the No. 1 spot after winning the Christchurch Test by seven wickets, which has given them a 2-0 series win against New Zealand and they will now pocket a cash award of $1 million.

Australia skipper Steve Smith will receive the Mace and the cash award on behalf of his team in a ceremony to be held at a later date.

This is the eighth time Australia have finished as the number one ranked Test side at the annual cut-off date since the inception of the current rankings system in 2003.

It had earlier topped the table each year from 2003 to 2009.

South Africa, by virtue of finishing third, will pocket $2 lakh, while Pakistan will receive $1 lakh with a fourth-place finish.

For Australia, it is a double delight as they have also topped the ICC ODI Team Rankings.

The Aussies (126 points) have finished comfortably ahead of second-placed New Zealand (114) and India (113) on third.

In ICC T20 rankings, India are currently leading the field with South Africa occupying the second position.

But the rankings can undergo a major change after the ongoing Asia Cup T20 in Bangladesh and ICC World Twenty20, which is scheduled to be staged from March 8 to April 3 in India.