Australia’s under-fire ODI team has slipped to a 34-year low, dropping to sixth position on the ICC’s latest rankings table after losing the opening two fixtures of the ongoing five-match series against England.
And only a remarkable come-from-behind series win, or rain, can save them from further unwanted history; never before has an Australian side lost four consecutive bilateral series (min two matches).
With losses to the world’s No.1 ODI team in London and Cardiff, Australia has fallen to 102 rankings points to sit a fraction of a point below 2017 Champions Trophy winners Pakistan.
Among the playing squad, only Shaun Marsh was alive the last time Australia found themselves in sixth position – that was in January 1984, some 11 months before current captain Tim Paine was born and six months after a group stage exit at the 1983 World Cup.
It has been a swift fall for the defending world champions. Less than two years ago they were ranked No.1 heading into an away series against South Africa. But when an under-strength squad with a group of rookie fast bowlers was whitewashed 5-0 by the Proteas (the first time Australia had lost a bilateral series 5-0), cracks were revealed in a 50-over game plan that suddenly looked dated. That was particularly the case in comparison to a revamped England, who were smashing record totals and rising in the rankings as Australia’s lofty status slipped.
Despite the home successes against New Zealand (3-0) and Pakistan (4-1) that followed the disaster in South Africa, Australia have won just nine times (eight at home) out of 23 completed ODIs since to ultimately find themselves in their current predicament.
More recently, a stretch of 13 defeats in 15 completed ODIs is unprecedented in the history of the five-time World Cup winners.
Paine said he was confident Australia would be able to hit back against England in the third ODI at Nottingham on Tuesday.
“Ankit Vaishnav”
