Their stint as the top-ranked team in the ICC [ Images ] ODI rankings was a short one, and it seems that this may be the case with India's [ Images ] world number one team ranking in Tests too.
Following their crushing victory over Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs in the third Test in Mumbai [ Images ], which saw them win the three-Test series 2-0, India took over as the top team in Tests.
This is the first time that India has achieved the coveted number one position in the Tests, and they became only the third team after South Africa [ Images ] and Australia [ Images ], to surge to the top of the ladder since the Test Championship was introduced in May 2001.
Although they would start 2010 as the world's number one Test team, India could be knocked off the top pedestal, if South Africa beat England [ Images ] by a margin of 2-0 or more. Also, what is hampering India's chances of staying at the top is that they are scheduled to play just two Test matches, against minnows Bangladesh, in the next six months, which is cramped with countless One-day Internationals and Twenty20 [ Images ] matches.
"It is a bit of concern that we are playing just two Test matches in the next six months so it will be tough for us to maintain this position," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni [ Images ] said in Mumbai on Sunday, following their victory against Sri Lanka [ Images ] in the third and final Test match.
"Well again it depends on the schedule. Next we are playing Bangladesh and I don't know when we are next playing Test cricket and whom we are playing after that," he added.
Dhoni said the scheduling part is left to the administrators and his team can only go out and perform in whatever format they are asked to.
"Well I can't do anything about it. What we can do is whatever format of cricket we are asked to play, we play that. The schedule is almost done for a few years in advance. Of course, it is good to play Test cricket but at the same time we have to play whatever cricket is offered to us. We hardly get time for ourselves so getting time to complain, that is definitely impossible," said the wicketkeeper batsman.
The India captain also pointed out that the team needs to continue it's consistent run in every conditions if they had to stay top of the rankings for a long time.
"I think to sustain this position we have to do well everywhere, wherever you go and whichever team you play. To be the number one team we have to keep on doing well. The individuals who are in form have to keep on performing and at the same time the freshers who are getting in the side need to upgrade their skills because the bench strength needs to be strong," he said.
