India remain third in ICC Test Rankings

Dubai, Apr 7 (PTI) India might have clinched a historic
Test series triumph over New Zealand but the team did not gain
from it in the ICC rankings, remaining static at the third
spot in the latest list issued Tuesday.

Rain and stubborn New Zealand resistance led by centurion
Ross Taylor prevented India from gaining a point and keeping
up the pressure on South Africa, the side directly above it in
the Test Championship table.

The eighth-placed Kiwis, in fact, ended up gaining a
point for managing two draws.

When rain forced the players off the field 20 minutes
after lunch in the third and last Test in Wellington, New
Zealand had its back against the wall struggling at 281-8
after India had set the home team an unlikely target of 617
runs to win.

If India could have forced a win it would have given it a
2-0 series triumph and helped it retain its pre-series 118
ratings points, just one behind the second-placed Proteas, and
10 behind leaders Australia.

But a draw meant Dhoni's men had to be content with 117
points, two away from South Africa and 11 adrift of Australia.

India had entered the series knowing it had to win all
the three Tests to gain the one point which would have put it
level with South Africa on 119 ratings points but behind
Graeme Smith's side by a fraction of a point.

However, it squandered that opportunity when it dug in
deep in Napier to force a draw after it had been forced to
follow on.

India had started the series with a difference of 37
ratings points relative to eighth-placed New Zealand and this
gap meant it was expected to win the series convincingly. PTI
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