ICC rankings not true reflection of form: Hussey

Australia dropped to an all-time low of fifth after being blanked 0-2 in Test series against India.

Australian batsman Mike Hussey has rejected the ICC8217;s Test rankings,which place his team at fifth,saying that the Aussies are 8220;definitely better than that and the system is not a true reflection of their form.8221;

Australia dropped to an all-time low of fifth after being blanked 0-2 in the just-concluded Test series against India but Hussey said the side does not deserve to be number five.

8220;I don8217;t think we8217;re the fifth-best team in the world. I don8217;t think that8217;s a true reflection of our team,we8217;re definitely better than that,8221; Hussey said.

8220;With the new Test championship coming in,that will probably give a better indication of where teams are at,and a better understanding of where teams are ranked.

8220;I don8217;t think about being fifth-best team in the world,I don8217;t necessarily agree with that,8221; he was quoted as saying by 8216;The Sydney Morning Herald8217;.

The proposed Test Championships,if contested now,would

not feature Australia because the side is not inside the top-four bracket.

8220;We need to get up to make sure we8217;re fourth to get into that. We8217;ve got a couple of years to continue the curve of

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getting better every time. I think our team is getting better all the time,8221; Hussey said.

8220;I have a strong belief in the personnel we8217;ve got,and the plans and processes we8217;ve put in place,that if we stick to what we know and don8217;t get affected too much by the outside influences,I firmly believe we8217;ve got a great chance to play some excellent Test cricket in the next year,8221; he added.

The 35-year-old also dismissed talk of any possible retirement plans after next year8217;s World Cup in the sub-continent.

8220;I don8217;t feel the talk. I8217;ve always made a conscious decision to not take much notice of what goes on outside the team,I don8217;t read a hell of a lot of press,I don8217;t watch the TV that much,8221; he said.

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8220;I must admit last summer I found it a lot harder to get away from that because there seemed like a lot of speculation.

But certainly watching guys like Sachin Tendulkar play so well at 37,Steve Waugh played very well later in his career,Matthew Hayden played brilliantly,Justin Langer 8211; there8217;s so much evidence of players playing very well,well past 35,8221; he added.

Hussey said as long as he has the faith of captain Ricky Ponting,he is not bothered about what is written about him in the press.

8220;I8217;m going to keep believing in myself,and I feel like I8217;ve still got the faith of Ricky,the coaching staff and the selectors. As long as I keep believing that,I still feel like I8217;ve got a lot to offer.8221;