New Delhi, Oct 07: It's not just sweet 'revenge' at stake for Sourav Ganguly and co. when they take on New Zealand in a two-test series starting from tomorrow but also a best ever fourth place ranking in the ICC Test championship table. India, currently on fifth spot, can overtake New Zealand to climb to fourth place in the table if it sweeps the series 2-0 at Mohali. The hosts now have a rating of 94 behind the third-placed visitors who are on 106.
A clean sweep will improve India's rating to 100 while New Zealand drop two places with a rating of 98.
But for the visitors, who are only behind Australia and South Africa now, a draw at either Ahmedabad or Mohali is enough to spoil the Indian party.
A 1-0 series result will see the visitors on 100 with India on 98. And if the Videocon test series is drawn 0-0 or 1-1, India will just gain a single number to move to 95 while the tourists will lose just two rating, an ICC release said.
And in the worst scenario of India biting the dust 0-1 or 0-2 New Zealand will move up to 108 and 111 while India will touch a low of 92 and 90 respectively.
Country rating (as on October 6, 2003)
1. Australia 129
2. South Africa 116
3. New Zealand 106
4. England 104
5. India 94
6. Pakistan 92
7. Sri Lanka 91
8. West Indies 83
9. Zimbabwe 58
10. Bangladesh 0. Bureau Report