Sydney, Nov 27(ANI): International Cricket Council's (ICC) ranking system in Test cricket has come under scanner in recent times, but now it has been revealed how this peculiar ranking system works.

According to the latest anomalous situation in the ICC ranking system, if Australia beats South Africa to become world's number Test team, they could be removed off the top by England if they beat India 3-1 in their ongoing four-match Test series.

Maybe they will be equal on ranking points, if Australia down the South Africans 1-0 and if England win 3-1. But then England would be awarded top spot because they have played more games in the four-year rankings cycle, it added.

If the South Africans win or draw their series against Australia, they will retain their top ranking - even if England beat India 3-1, the paper said.

According to the ICC definition, a rating is worked out by dividing the points scored by the match/series total, with the answer given to the nearest whole number.

After every Test series, the two teams receive a certain number of points, based on a mathematical formula, and each team's new points total is then divided by its new match/series total to give an updated rating."

Wondering what a rating actually signifies? Lets ask the ICC again:

"A team that, over the period being rated, wins as often as it loses while playing an average mix of strong and weak opponents will have a rating of close to 100."

"In every match the total rating points available equals the sum of the initial rating of the two teams, so ratings can be thought of as being redistributed rather than created." (ANI)