The ICC Test Mace instituted in 2003 was awarded to the No. 1 Test team according to the rankings and rewarded long-term consistency rather than occasional wins. The World Test Championship ushered in the league system determining the winner of the award capped by a title-deciding final and changing the award basis.
How Was the Test Mace Awarded Before 2019?
According to ICC Rankings: The Test Mace has been held by the No. 1-ranked team as of April 1st every year from 2003 (including retrospective rankings) to 2019. In addition to the mace, the team that was highest in the rankings had also been awarded some cash from the ICC.
The points system had been based on victories, draws, opposition strength, and match conditions in recent 3-4 years. If any new team comes on top of the rankings during the course of a season, the mace does exchange owners temporarily, but the official title holder for that year would remain with the team that is top of the rankings on April 1.
ICC Test Mace Winners (2003–2019)
| Year | Winner | Captain |
| 2003-2009 | Australia | Steve Waugh,Ricky Ponting |
| 2010-11 | India | MS Dhoni |
| 2012 | England | Andrew Strauss |
| 2013-15 | South Africa | Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla |
| 2016 | Australia | Steve Smith |
| 2017-19 | India | Virat Kohli |
Also read: IPL 2026: Top 7 Star Players Who Could Be Released Before the Auction – Check Full List
Teams with Most Mace Titles
- Australia:9
- India:5
- South Africa:3
What Changed in 2019?
The ICC realized that if rankings reflected consistency, they would never have crowned a champion. To that end, and in order to bring more competitive structure to Test cricket, the ICC launched the World Test Championship (WTC).
World Test Championship Format
- Nine top Test-playing nations compete in a league over 2 years.
- Every team plays six series (three at home and three away).
- Under this format, the two highest-performing teams face off in a final to crown the official Test world champion.
- The winner of the World Test Championship Final now claims the ICC Test Mace, marking a shift from the previous system based solely on rankings.
WTC Final Winners & Mace Recipients
| WTC Cycle | Winner | Final Venue | Opponent |
| 2019-21 | New Zealand | The Rose Bowl England | India |
| 2021-23 | Australia | The Oval,England | India |
| 2023-25 | South Africa | Lord’s, England | Australia |
Achievements Highlights
- South Africa: makes history becoming the WTC 2025 Champion
- Australia: Most successful Test side in the rankings era; also WTC 2023 champions.
- India: Dominated the rankings under Dhoni and Kohli; finalists in both WTC editions.
- New Zealand: The inaugural champions of the World Test Championship, lifting the mace in 2021.
- South Africa & England: Had brief but impactful reigns as No. 1.
Conclusion
This transition in how the mace is awarded reflects cricket’s shift from a system of statistical dominance to one that rewards on-field championship battles. While the mace once stood for consistency, it now rewards performance under pressure, adding prestige and excitement to the longest format of the game. The legacy continues on the pitch, in white flannels, with red balls, and Now… with a world title at stake.
Written by RITESH SINGH
