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[Blwe_torch]

Smart numbers aside...................MSD's captaincy is sucking big time.................admit it.........that is the big picture.

lol since when is this something to celebrate. oh wait...i understand.

(Every group needs a resident clown!)

So, you too want to join the party?!...well.....you're always welcome!

[Cernunnos]

According to the ICC: "The table reflects all Test series completed since August more than three years ago. All Tests series completed prior to next August will be added to this table, so by then the ratings will be based on a full four years of results. Then, in August, the first year of results will be dropped, so the table will then cover the past three years of results. 
 
This pattern is repeated each August, with the oldest of the four years of results removed to be gradually replaced with results of matches played over the following twelve months. This means that once a year the positions could change overnight without any new Test Matches being played. "


So when India got the #1 ranking in Dec 2009, it was based on series from Aug 2006 - Dec 2009. That is 1 year of MSD and 2 years of non-MSD.

In end of July 2010, the rankings are based on 2 years of MSD and 2 years of non-MSD.

In Aug 2010, the rankings are based on 2 years of MSD and 1 years of non-MSD.

In Aug 2011, the rankings are based on 3 years of MSD and 0 years of non-MSD.

So when we have a full tenure of MSD, we lost our #1 ratings.

Be that as it may, in his 3 years of captaincy MSD won 7 test series and drew 2. IND lost the #1 ranking after the VERY FIRST test series that MSD lost. Was MSD responsible for losing the #1 spot? That too immediately after the first ever test series loss?

Do you remember how well ENG was placed before IND went there? They needed to win that home series by 2 test difference to leap from #3 to #1. Why IND lost that series is another discussion and MSD is not the biggest reason for that loss.

I only put some of the facts on the table. MSD is the captain - so he takes the credit/blame. In a boxing match, you can lead in 7 rounds, but you get such a big knockout punch in the 8th that you lose the match.
These things happen.

Personally I don't lose much sleep over losing #1 as much as the humiliation we got in England and Aus, the two away series that really matter (along with SA). However,  being #1 or losing #1 is also a function of how well others are doing. When the Windies were in their pomp, no team could aspire to be #1. You could hold the same view of the McGrath-Warne Aus. Today the teams are of a much equal standard and there is no clear dominant force. This could well lead to a musical chairs for the #1 position - and I wouldn't blame any rating system for it.

Holding the '#1' as a badge of honour makes sense only if you are a clear cut dominant force, otherwise it's just a numerical artifact.

[Cernunnos]

Btw, if India win the dead rubber, and England lose all the 3 tests to Pak and 2 to SL, then our bunch of jokers will become the #1 team again.

[cricinfo]

Btw, if India win the dead rubber, and England lose all the 3 tests to Pak and 2 to SL, then our bunch of jokers will become the #1 team again.

what are the chances for that happening !!!! I will bet CP's a$$ on this , you up for that ?

[Cernunnos]

Btw, if India win the dead rubber, and England lose all the 3 tests to Pak and 2 to SL, then our bunch of jokers will become the #1 team again.

what are the chances for that happening !!!! I will bet CP's a$$ on this , you up for that ?

I forgot to mention that NZ also has to draw SA.
No it will not happen, but it's not outside the realm of possibility either. Even the India winning the dead rubber part. 

[Cover Point]

Btw, if India win the dead rubber, and England lose all the 3 tests to Pak and 2 to SL, then our bunch of jokers will become the #1 team again.

what are the chances for that happening !!!! I will bet CP's a$$ on this , you up for that ?

again ... be happy with the bamboo you are getting in you a$$ ..... dont worry about things that are far superior to you!

[dextrous]

surely we can buy a win?

[dhruvdeepak]

surely we can buy a win?

rupee is at an all time low against the dollar

[ruchir]

I only put some of the facts on the table. MSD is the captain - so he takes the credit/blame. In a boxing match, you can lead in 7 rounds, but you get such a big knockout punch in the 8th that you lose the match.
These things happen.

Sir, that was the point I was trying to make. If a boxer leads in 7 rounds but get KOed in 8th then you don't say he boxed badly in first 7 rounds, do you? You say he lost because he boxed one round terribly. Same point with MSD. With all his shortcomings as a captain, he still won 7 out of the 9 test series he captained. Now when he lost the 10th series, he didn't suddenly become a bad captain. He was still the same as captain, what changed was individual performances of players.

Personally I don't lose much sleep over losing #1 as much as the humiliation we got in England and Aus, the two away series that really matter (along with SA). However,  being #1 or losing #1 is also a function of how well others are doing. When the Windies were in their pomp, no team could aspire to be #1. You could hold the same view of the McGrath-Warne Aus. Today the teams are of a much equal standard and there is no clear dominant force. This could well lead to a musical chairs for the #1 position - and I wouldn't blame any rating system for it.

Holding the '#1' as a badge of honour makes sense only if you are a clear cut dominant force, otherwise it's just a numerical artifact.

Agree with you here. You are truly #1 only when you play well in adverse conditions. I'm sure this ENG team will be tested in subcontinental conditions, and if they don't play well then they too will be regarded as pretenders. An indication is already coming up with ENG losing 1st test to PAK by 10 wickets.

Just like there won't be pacy wickets in IND any time soon, there won't be spinning wickets in ENG, AUS, or SA any time soon. So all teams will continue to suffer playing in conditions unhelpful to them. In one way it is beneficial for cricket because it provides an opportunity for the players to excel in alien conditions.