ICC rankings use different calculations for teams and individual players. A team's rating is its ranking points divided by the relevant match or series total, rounded to the nearest whole number. Player ratings use an algorithm that evaluates performances in context over time. The ranking is the resulting position in a table; the rating is the points figure used to determine that position.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ranking | Position in the relevant table |
| Player rating | Performance points on a scale from 0 to 1,000 |
| Team rating | Ranking points divided by the relevant match or series total |
| All rounder index | Batting rating multiplied by bowling rating, divided by 1,000 |
The distinction answers a common source of confusion. A side can have accumulated more total points than another side but still have a lower rating if those points were earned across a larger counted match total. Similarly, a player's place can change because another player moves past them, even when the first player's own number has not changed.
How are ICC team rankings calculated?
The ICC explanation of its rankings describes the team system as a rating method developed by David Kendix. It covers men's Test, ODI and T20I cricket and women's ODI and T20I cricket. The final division is straightforward, but the numerator is ranking points, not runs scored, wickets taken or a competition's league points.
Consider a hypothetical table entry with 3,600 points and a counted total of 30. Dividing 3,600 by 30 produces a rating of 120. Another side with 4,000 points across a counted total of 40 has a rating of 100. These invented numbers illustrate the division only. They do not represent current teams or explain the separate process by which points are awarded.
The ICC says the Test and ODI tables include teams with the relevant status that also meet the matches played eligibility criteria. The T20I table includes members meeting the relevant match eligibility criteria. It also says annual updates take place around 1 May. A reader comparing tables should first check the format and update information, rather than combining figures from different tables.
How are ICC player ranking points calculated?
Player ratings are on a scale of zero to 1,000. The ICC describes a moving average produced through calculations that consider circumstances in each match. Performances improving on a player's past record tend to increase the rating, while a decline tends to reduce it. There is no subjective panel assigning the final points after watching a performance.
The official player rankings FAQs explain that the system considers a player's career while giving greater emphasis to recent performances. That makes it more than a list of who scored the most runs in the latest series. The opposition's strength also matters, so identical raw totals need not produce identical ratings movements.
Match conditions are inferred from scorecard information. The FAQs explain that runs in a match where both sides score heavily are assessed differently from runs in a low scoring match. This helps explain why a modest looking score in difficult circumstances can have a different value from the same number in a high scoring contest. It is not a manually supplied pitch grade.
There is also no rule that every appearance must change a batter's rating. The ICC says a batter who does not bat keeps the same rating. Bowling has different provisions, including circumstances in which a player who does not bowl can lose points. The disciplines therefore need to be read under their own rules, rather than treated as one universal points per match formula.
What is the ICC all rounder ranking formula?
The published all rounder index multiplies the batting rating by the bowling rating and divides the product by 1,000. For example, batting points of 600 and bowling points of 200 give an index of 120. Ratings of 400 in each discipline produce 160. These examples show why a more balanced combination can outrank a player with a much stronger score in only one discipline.
The formula uses rating points, not batting and bowling averages. The ICC also explains that fielding is not included in this index. Nor does it publish a separate wicketkeeping rating based simply on catches and stumpings, because opportunities depend heavily on what bowlers create. Those limits matter when using the tables to discuss a player's overall contribution.
For the next rankings discussion, identify the format, distinguish position from rating and check the table's update information before comparing players. Other cricket calculations answer different questions: our net run rate guide explains a tournament tiebreak measure, while the DRS guide covers decision reviews. For another sport's rule language, see our offside explanation.
