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India dislodged arch-rivals Pakistan to claim the top spot in the ICC Test rankings following their series-clinching comprehensive 178-run win over New Zealand in the second cricket Test in Kolkata on Monday.
- PHOTOS: India beat Kiwis to win series; dethrone Pak as No 1
- India thrash Kiwis to seal series, reclaim top spot in Test rankings
India pulled off a brilliant all-round performance to trounce New Zealand in the second Test and clinch the three-Test series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Virat Kohli's men wrapped up the series-deciding victory on the fourth day of the match after setting the Black Caps a mammoth target of 376 runs to chase.
Kohli's side had entered the series against New Zealand trailing Pakistan by one point and needed to win the series to reclaim the top position for the fourth time since the current rankings system was introduced in 2003.
And, India got there in style, winning the first Test in Kanpur by 197 runs and then dominating the Kolkata Test to romp home with a day to spare.
India will be ranked number one on the ICC Test chart when it is updated at the conclusion of the ongoing series.
India's top spot is guaranteed irrespective of how the third and final Test in Indore pans out.
The third Test is scheduled to be played from October 8-12.
India has previously been at the top of the table from November 2009 to August 2011 and then briefly during January-February 2016 and in August 2016.
To celebrate India's number one Test ranking, it will be presented with the ICC Test Championship mace.
India's next challenge will be to put the number one ranking beyond Pakistan's reach and this will only be possible by winning or drawing the Indore Test.
If India wins the series 3-0, then they will finish on 115 points, and on 113 points in case of a 2-0 series win. Either result will mean that even if Pakistan blanks out the West Indies, they will not be able to overhaul India as the highest Test team, as they can only finish with 112 points.
However, if New Zealand earns a consolation victory, then India will finish on 111 points, which, in turn, will give Pakistan a sniff to reclaim the number one ranking and the mace.
Pakistan goes head-to-head with the West Indies from October 13 in the first Test at the DubaiSportsCity. This will be the first time the two sides as well as the venue will host a day-night Test.