Who should be in the Top tier, and who should be in the 2nd tier test cricket?

[Cricketinsights]

On an upcoming episode of 'Cricket Insights' we will be covering the topic, 'if test cricket was divided into two tiers who would be in the top 5, and who would be in the 2nd tier. Here are my selections:

1st tier:
India
England
Australia
South Africa
Sri Lanka

2nd tier:
West Indies
Bangladesh
Pakistan
NZ
Zimbabwe

Do you agree? Why/Why not?

Episode will be on youtube at the end of April, 2017.

-Dan (Cricket Insights)

 

[Howe_zat]

Sri Lanka above Pakistan is just because you wanted someone to call you on it, I guess?

Premise is a bit silly though. You could argue a top 3 or top 4 at a stretch but there's not likely to be a clear top 5 for any length of time.

 

[CricAddict]

On an upcoming episode of 'Cricket Insights' we will be covering the topic, 'if test cricket was divided into two tiers who would be in the top 5, and who would be in the 2nd tier. Here are my selections:

1st tier:
India
England
Australia
South Africa
Sri Lanka

2nd tier:
West Indies
Bangladesh
Pakistan
NZ
Zimbabwe

Do you agree? Why/Why not?

Episode will be on youtube at the end of April, 2017.

-Dan (Cricket Insights)

Move Pak and NZ to 1st tier. Add Ireland and Afghans to 2nd tier. And your tiers are set. It should be 7:5 with a promotion-demotion which I guess mostly WI/Ban and NZ/SL will have to manage.

 

[harsh.ag]

Pakistan and NZ both in tier 1. SL too. If you don't lose at home, you stay in tier 1. Simple.

 

[Daemon]

Tier 1

India (immune to relegation)
Australia
England
SA

Tier whatever

etc

 

[Fuller Pilch]

At the moment there are 3/4 tiers in test cricket imo

India
South Africa
Australia

England
New Zealand
Pakistan

Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
West Indies

4th tier if they ever played
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan
Ireland

 

[Howe_zat]

At the moment there are 3/4 tiers in test cricket imo

India
South Africa
Australia

England
New Zealand
Pakistan

Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
West Indies

4th tier if they ever played
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan
Ireland

I would mostly agree with this though the line between 1 and 2 is rather blurry given that Australia and South Africa lost their last series against Sri Lanka away and England at home respectively.

For me the only team in a genuine top tier right now is India. They've opened a gap.

 

[CapeTown Guy]

South Africa actually beat Sri Lanka last time we were there. We lost to India away.

 

[akilana]

SA beat SL in SL

 

[91Jmay]

South Africa actually beat Sri Lanka last time we were there. We lost to India away.

He said respectively so he was saying SA lost against England and Aus lost against Sri Lanka in last away series (although Aus lost vs India as well)

 

[akilana]

Oops you arr right

 

[SeamUp]

He states Australia lost to Sri Lanka and SA lost to England ? (respectively)

 

[Shady Slim]

top tier should always be of australia england and india

bottom tier should always be of everyone else who doesn't matter #icc

 

[Victor Ian]

Top tier should be India because they cry about just about anything.

 

[viriya]

At the moment there are 3/4 tiers in test cricket imo

India
South Africa
Australia

England
New Zealand
Pakistan

Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
West Indies

4th tier if they ever played
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan
Ireland

Any sane team ratings system agrees to the above.

 

[Shri]

Does yours?

 

[smash84]

Any sane team ratings system agrees to the above.

you mean cricrate doesn't?

 

[Slifer]

I would mostly agree with this though the line between 1 and 2 is rather blurry given that Australia and South Africa lost their last series against Sri Lanka away and England at home respectively.

For me the only team in a genuine top tier right now is India. They've opened a gap.

India has not opened any gaps, luck of scheduling is more like it. I agree that India are number one but they are certainly not a dominant number 1

 

[Adders]

India has not opened any gaps, luck of scheduling is more like it. I agree that India are number one but they are certainly not a dominant number 1

The fact that you agree that India are No1 and it's not a toss up between India and another team pretty much means that India have opened a gap. It does not mean (and I don't think anyone has suggested it) that they are a dominant No1.

Edit:

Also this "luck of scheduling" I think is starting to get overplayed. Sure the run of home fixtures may have helped them open the gap at the top right now, but it also ignores the near 2 years straight that they toured away during 2015/16, pretty sure this period would be reflected in their current ranking points.

 

[Slifer]

It wasn't a criticism it's a fact. But to the question posed at the beginning, I'm against any type of tier unless the tier applies to all teams. You can't have a tier and then give special treatment to certain teams. First, that's not fair and second those teams that are exempted have no real motivation to stay in the top ranks.