"England will start its domestic international season next month as the number-one ranked Test side in the Reliance ICC Test Championship after retaining the top spot following its eight wickets victory over Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test as the two-Test series ended in a one-all draw on Saturday," the ICC said in a statement.
England had entered the two-Test series against Sri Lanka leading closest rival South Africa by two ratings points. And though they conceded two ratings points to join South Africa on 116 ratings points, England have been rated above the Proteas when the ratings were calculated beyond the decimal point.
Had England lost the Colombo Test, they would have slipped behind South Africa in second position and may even have been pushed into third place if Australia had defeated the West Indies in all the three Tests of the ongoing series.
