Aussie cricketers top Test, T20 rankings
Australia have reclaimed the world No.1 Test ranking, dethroning India for the first time since 2016 to give Justin Langer something to celebrate as the sport continues to grapple with financial woes.
Langer's team surged to top spot on both the Test and Twenty20 charts with Friday's update of the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.
The T20 ascension comes after four consecutive series wins in the shortest format, ensuring the T20 World Cup hosts will likely be favourites should that tournament start in Australia on October 18 as planned.
It is the first time Australia have occupied top spot on the T20 rankings, introduced by the ICC in 2011, and ends Pakistan's 27-month reign at No.1.
Australia briefly occupied No.1 spot on the ICC's Test charts in 2014 then 2016, but had slipped to No.5 in the aftermath of the Cape Town cheating scandal and subsequent suspensions for Steve Smith and David Warner.
The occasion would ordinarily be one of pomp, including the presentation of a ceremonial mace, but Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts was kept busy on Friday with various challenges.
CA, having stood down the majority of its staff for the rest of the financial year and projected revenue to drop by 50 per cent next summer, is in ongoing talks with state associations and the players' associations regarding cuts.
Cricket Victoria confirmed on Friday afternoon there would be "a number of job losses" at the organisation, citing a projected funding cut from CA, but is yet to publicly reveal how many workers will be made redundant.
The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has already axed 23 full-time staff, while employees at some other states are fearful that cuts could come as soon as next week.
Ongoing negotiations between CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) have so far proven more collaborative and productive than the damaging pay dispute of 2017.
"I'm confident there will be a solution soon enough. There's been a lot of chats between ACA and CA," Australia allrounder Jess Jonassen told reporters on Friday.
"We want to reach a solution as soon as possible to allow people to get clarity in pretty uncertain times.
"We're fortunate in the position we're in - we're still in a job."
National coaches Matthew Mott and Langer also remain on CA's books, but both have become part-time employees as part of cost-cutting measures.
Langer expressed pride about Friday's rankings update, noting "there's been so much work go into it".
"At this time, it was certainly nice to put a smile on our faces," he said.
"Over the last couple of years, not only have we performed well on the field but we have performed well off it.
"We have earned some respect back from other teams around the world, but also from Australia.
"When we started on this journey ... not once did we talk about being No.1 ranked in the world, we wanted to be No.1 in our values and process. That is what I am most proud of."
