England's cricketers claim top spot

England’s cricketers are literally on top of the world. A totally dominant performance at Edgbaston, where they won by an innings and 242 runs with a  day to spare, confirmed that whatever the outcome of this week’s final Test at the Oval, England are now the world’s number one-ranked Test side.

And now for the question that inevitably follows: do they deserve it? Has this series been a magnificent English display that would have swept any team aside, or the humiliation of an exhausted and demoralised Indian side who had waved the white flag long before this point?

The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere between these two extremes. There’s no question India were poor at times, but England showed a single-mindedness in the pursuit of victory that has often been lacking in previous sides. They also seem to have moved past relying on just one or two star players to get them out of trouble. If one player has an off day, Alistair Cook in the first two Tests against India being a notable example, there are ten others ready to pick up the slack.

One of the key attributes in England’s assault on the number one ranking has been consistency. After all, this is an England team that has been winning Tests for a while now. They haven’t lost a Test series in over two years, during which time they became the first English side since 1987 to win the Ashes in Australia. There’s also been consistency in terms of personnel, with a well-developed coaching setup and an established core group of players helping to build a solid foundation for success. This also means that any player who does go through a lean spell knows that they’ll be given time to play themselves back into form (witness Cook’s outstanding 294 in the third Test against India).

Of course, there’ll always be those who argue that England have simply profited from others’ weaknesses. It’s certainly true that the Australian side that England defeated Down Under were a far cry from the dominant force of the late 1990s, and the India team that rolled over and capitulated in this series struggled for both form and morale. But you can only beat the team that’s put in front of you, and for some time now that’s exactly what England have done.

Which brings me to the second inevitable question: now that England have made it to the top of the rankings, can they stay there? There will certainly be huge challenges ahead. Winning away will always be a struggle, particularly against South Africa, who they only managed to draw with last time around. And as injuries take their toll, the depth of England’s squad is bound to be tested. One thing’s for certain: England may be on top of the world right now, but to prove they’re really world-beaters they’ll have to stay there. And that’s where the true test begins.