Former English cricket captain Michael Vaughan has blasted the International Cricket Council's (ICC) rankings, questioning why the Blackcaps are ranked so high in test cricket.
New Zealand are currently placed at the second spot in the latest ranking list, three spots ahead of Australia - who crushed the Blackcaps by 296 runs in the opening match of their three-test series in Perth.
Speaking ahead of the second trans-Tasman trophy test, which begins today at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Vaughan told the Sydney Morning Herald that the ICC rankings were "absolute garbage."
"I have no idea how – New Zealand have won plenty of series over the course of the last two years – but for them to be second, and where it stands out for me that the rankings can't be right is that England in test match cricket are third, and England for three or four years have struggled in test match cricket, particularly overseas," Vaughan said.
"They have won series at home. They have only just drawn the Ashes in English conditions, they only just beat Ireland. I think the rankings are a little bit confusing.
"I certainly don't, in my opinion, have New Zealand as the second-best test match nation in the world. I think, particularly over here in Australia, Australia are a far better test match team."
In the Blackcaps' defence, they have won eight of their past 10 series, including a 1-0 series defeat of England, and drew 1-1 in Sri Lanka.
But Vaughan insists there is only one country that can trouble the Australians on their home soil.
"I think there are two teams, India and Australia, they are the best test match teams in the world, without question. I think there is only one team that can come here and put Australia under pressure, that was 12 months ago, that they won here, India," he said.
"There was no Smith, no Warner, no [Marnus] Labuschagne in the Australian ranks in that series, I think the series later on next year, when India arrive back here, hopefully everyone will be fit.
"That Indian attack has got the pace, it has also got the spin, the batting unit has got all the experience. I only see only one team at this stage that can compete with Australia here and that is India."
The rankings are expected to undergo a major alteration with plenty of teams in action over the next couple of months.
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