Twists and turns in year to remember

April 1 marks the annual cut-off date for the International Cricket Council's Test rankings, with a US$1m bounty handed out to the top-ranked team.

This year that prize goes to India, who secured top spot with their hard-fought 2-1 victory in the Border-Gavaskar Series.

Steve Smith's men finished third, a fraction of a point behind South Africa who benefited from a washout in the second Test against New Zealand to claim that series 1-0.

A third placed finish for Australia in 2017 marks a drop of two spots from their No.1 ranking in 2016.

Here's a look back at the 13 Tests Australia played between last April and today in what proved to be a tumultuous year for Australian cricket.

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Australia's year in Test cricket began with a three-Test tour of Sri Lanka where the world's No.1 ranked team was expected to account for the seventh-ranked hosts.

1st Test: Sri Lanka 117 (Lyon 3-12) and 353 (Mendis 117) beat Australia 203 (Herath 4-49) and 161 (Herath 5-54) by 106 runs in Pallekele

Ahead of the first Test Australia captain Steve Smith was prestented with the ICC Test Mace away in Sri Lanka from view of the local fans. Feeling buoyant, things started well for the tourists as they skittled the home side on the first day. But was downhill from there as Rangana Herath spun his web in Pallekele and the Australia batsmen appeared all at sea against the turning ball.

2nd Test: Sri Lanka 281 (Starc 5-44) and 237 (Starc 6-50) beat Australia 106 (Warner 42, Perera 4-29) and 183 (Perera 6-70) by 229 runs in Galle

Mitchell Starc again gave the Aussies a solid star with a five wicket haul in Galle, and backed that up with another six in the second innings, but the Sri Lanka spin twins of Herath and Dilruwan Perera made it look like the sides were batting on separate wickets

3rd Test: Sri Lanka 355 (Chandimal 132, Starc 5-63) and 8dec-347 (Silva 115) beat Australia 379 (S Marsh 130, Smith 119) and 160 (Warner 68, Herath 7-64) by 163 runs in Colombo

Australia axed Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns for the third Test, and a third consecutive wrong call at the coin toss saw Sri Lanka pile up a big first innings total. But a century for recalled Shaun Marsh and skipper Steve Smith saw Australia take a first-innings lead. That was quickly turned into a hefty deficit and on a day five pitch, Herath's seven routed Australia for a clean sweep and saw them slide to third on the world rankings behind India and Pakistan, and just a fraction of a point ahead of England.

Commonwealth Bank Test Series v South Africa

1st Test: South Africa 242 (de Kock 84, Starc 4-71) and 8dec-540 (Duminy 141, Elgar 127) d Australia 244 (Warner 97) and 361 (Khawaja 97, Rabada 5-92) by 177 runs at the WACA

The home summer started full of expectation for Australia back on home turf against a top opponent and Starc and Hazlewood started in familiar fashion. Having seen Australia's troubles in Sri Lanka, South Africa debuted their own left-arm orthodox in Keshav Maharaj, and he took 3-56, including the skipper for a duck. South Africa piled on the runs in their second innings and Temba Bavuma's brilliant run out of David Warner exposed a brittle middle order that crashed to defeat in the opening Test of a home summer for the first time since 1988.

2nd Test: Australia 85 (Philander 5-21) and 161 (Khawaja 64, Abbott 6-77) lost to South Africa 326 (de Kock 104, Hazlewood 6-89) by an innings and 80 runs at Blundstone Arena

Australia reached its nadir in Hobart, shot out on home turf to swing and seam twice for a fifth consecutive Test defeat. The fall out was immense. National Selector Rod Marsh brought forward his retirement, and five players from this match were jettisoned, including debutants Callum Ferguson and Joe Mennie. A new selection panel was brought in, and a focus on the next generation saw young prodigies Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson called up. It proved a turning point, with the team slipping down to fourth in the official rankings, and in danger of sliding outside the top four for the first time since the 'homework' fiasco of 2013.

3rd Test: South Africa 259 (du Plessis 118, Hazlewood 4-68) and 250 (Cook 104, Starc 4-80) lost to Australia 383 (Khawaja 145) and 3-127 (Warner 47) by seven wickets at Adelaide Oval (day-night)

From the ashes of Hobart, Australia rose anew. With South Africa's preparations derailed by captain Faf du Plessis' ICC charge for his use of mints to alter the condition of the ball in Hobart, the new-look Australia found some joy in their cricket again. Not all the middle order worries were eased overnight but the application and high price on the wicket was back and the carnival atmosphere of an Adelaide pink-ball Test made this feel like a celebration of a rebirth.

Commonwealth Bank Test Series v Pakistan

1st Test: Australia 429 (Smith 130, Handscomb 105) and 5dec-202 (Khawaja 74) d Pakistan 142 (Sarfraz 59, Hazlewood 3-22) and 450 (Shafiq 137) by 39 runs at the Gabba (day-night)

Pakistan had been ranked the world's top team last August by knocking off England at home and with a fearsome pace attack expectations were high for their arrival on Australian shores in a battle of the second- and third-ranked teams. Centuries to Smith and Handscomb and a 71 from Renshaw eased the home side's fears. Surrending a sizeable first-innings lead, Pakistan were set a lofty 490 to win the first Test. Ultimately they fell short, but only by 40 runs having given Australia an almighty scare and pushed the Test deep into the fifth afternoon.

2nd Test: Pakistan 9dec-443 (Azhar Ali 205) and 163 (Starc 4-36) lost to Australia 8dec-624 (Smith 165*, Warner 144) by an innings and 18 runs at the MCG

Pakistan dominated early proceedings in a rain-affected Test match – their first innings did not finish until after lunch on the first day with Azhar Ali scoring a double century. And with Australia's first-innings declaration not coming until shortly before lunch on day five, this match seemed destined for a draw. But the fast scoring of Warner's run-a-ball 144 and seven sixes from Starc in his 84 anchored by an unbeaten captain's ton, Australia sniffed out an unlikely win to claim the series with a match to play.

3rd Test: Australia 538 (Renshaw 184, Warner 113, Handscomb 110) 2dec-241 (Khawaja 79*) beat Pakistan 315 (Younis 175*) and 244 (Sarfraz 72*, Hazlewood 3-29) by 220 runs at the SCG

The New Year's party rolled on to the SCG with newcomers Renshaw and Handscomb scoring their maiden centuries. And while Pakistan's old guard of Younis replied in kind, the Australians had regained their mojo and the juggernaut was seemingly back on track, seemingly the only missing piece of the puzzle the pivotal No.6 position, with Western Australian Hilton Carwright debuting in Sydney. Australia leaped above Pakistan to secure the No.2 ranking and set-up a top-of-the-table clash with India.

Qantas Tour of India

1st Test: Australia 260 (Renshaw 68, Starc 61) and 285 (Smith 109) beat India 105 (Rahul 64, O'Keefe 6-35) and 107 (O'Keefe 6-35) by 333 runs in Pune

India had despatched all comers in an extended home series, and few observers gave Australia much hope of winning a Test let alone the series on Indian soil. Key Test players were rested from one-day matches in the lead-up and an extended training camp in Dubai added fine-tuning. It culminated with India getting a rude awakening in Pune. Australia's batsmen did not collapse in the same manner as in Sri Lanka, and led by Stephen O'Keefe's 12 wickets, the visiting slow bowlers outbowled the home team's tweakers. One-nil Australia with the chance to steal the No.1 spot still alive.

2nd Test: India 189 (Rahul 90, Lyon 8-50) and 274 (Pujara 92, Hazlewood 6-67) beat Australia 276 (S Marsh 66, Renshaw 60, Jadeja 6-63) and 112 (Ashwin 6-41) by 75 runs in Bengaluru

Nathan Lyon proved he had learned the lessons from his chastening Sri Lanka experience, snaring a career best eight wickets in India's first innings. A redoubled effort from India's second innings had them on track for a big lead until Starc and Hazlewood orchestrated another collapse of 6-36. But yet another twist with Ravi Ashwin weaving his web with six wickets, and captain Steve Smith caught up in controversy after looking to the dressing room when considering a review.

3rd Test: Australia 451 (Smith 178*, Maxwell 104, Jadeja 5-124) and 6-204 (Handscomb 72*) drew with India 603 (Pujara 202, Saha 117) in Ranchi

Big first innings totals were called for in India, and Australia delivered in Ranchi with Smith's epic unbeaten 178 and the recalled Glenn Maxwell's maiden Test ton. But 451 still proved too short as Cheteshwar Pujara's 202 and a ton from wicketkeeper Saha orchestrated a big total that left Australia facing a nervy battle on day five to secure a draw. There were wobbles and worries but in the end, Handscomb's nerveless unbeaten 72 steered Australia to safety in his seventh Test, and setting up a decider. Pat Cummins returned for his first Test in five and a half years with Starc out injured. While the series was still alive, this draw confirmed India's status as the No.1 Test team for the ICC's April 1 cut-off.

4th Test: Australia 300 (Smith 111) and 137 (Maxwell 45, Jadeja 3-24) lost to India 332 (Jadeja 63, Rahul 60, Lyon 5-92) and 2-106 (Rahul 51*) by eight wickets in Dharamsala

Boosted by the injury-enforced absence of rival captain Virat Kohli and faced with a pitch that suited seamers with substantial pace, carry and bounce, Australia started well racing to 1-144 just after lunch on the first day. But the tourists fluffed their lines from there to surrender that position of strength and be all out for 300. Lyon's five and three from the seemingly tireless Cummins meant India needed runs from their lower-order to eke out a small first-innings lead. Then an off-script assault from India's pace bowlers saw Australia three down before that lead had been erased and Jadeja and Ashwin poured into the breach to skittle Australia on day three for just 137. The chase of 106 proved little problem and India claimed the series 2-1.