According to the information available till March 2019, what is the name of the cricket team that comes at number 2 in the ICC International Test Rankings?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (A) New Zealand

Explanation:

• As of March 2019, New Zealand held the number 2 position in the ICC Test Team Rankings.

• This was a historic moment for the Black Caps, as they moved up to the second spot after a successful home series against Bangladesh. It was the first time they had reached such a high ranking in the Test format.

• India was the number 1 ranked team at that time and was awarded the ICC Test Championship Mace along with a cash prize for being at the top of the table on the April 1st cutoff date.

• The ranking points as of March/early April 2019 were:

  1. India (116 points)

  2. New Zealand (108 points)

  3. South Africa (105 points)

  4. Australia (104 points)

Information Booster:

• The ICC Test Rankings are updated after every Test series. New Zealand's rise was fueled by their consistent performance under captain Kane Williamson, which eventually led them to win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021 by defeating India in the final.

Additional Knowledge:

South Africa (Option B)

• In early 2019, South Africa was a top contender but slipped to the 3rd or 4th position after losing a home Test series to Sri Lanka (0–2), which was a major upset.

Australia (Option C)

• Australia was ranked 4th or 5th during this period. They were in a rebuilding phase following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal and the subsequent bans of key players Steve Smith and David Warner.

England (Option D)

• England was generally ranked between 3rd and 5th in early 2019. While they were the #1 team in ODI cricket (and went on to win the 2019 World Cup), their Test form was more fluctuating.