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After finishing their last Twenty20 International
assignment prior to the June World Cup, Team India is taking a little break.
The emphasis will return to the traditional structure of the game when they get
back together early next week. India will play England in a five-match Test
series that begins on January 25. In the current World Test Championship cycle,
it will be India’s third series overall. It will also be their first at home,
which they haven’t lost since 2012. And although India would like to continue
the run against England, the current Test Championship standings have been
altered by Australia, the reigning World Cup winners, who were the last team to
defeat them at home.
Following up their commanding 3-0 victory over
Pakistan at home earlier in the month, Australia defeated the depleted West
Indies at the Adelaide Oval with yet another masterful display, completing the
first Test match of the two-Test series in three days.
In the thirteenth over of the third morning, Australia
easily defeated the Windies for a mere 120 runs, with to Josh Hazlewood’s 11th
five-wicket haul (5 for 35). Steve Smith (11*) and Usman Khawaja (9*) nearly
finished the task with a target of just 26 runs for Australia, but the
left-hander departed the pitch hurt after being smacked by a bouncer from
five-star Shamar Joseph. Marnus Labuschagne scored the game-winning run two
balls later, giving Australia an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series.
Australia solidified their lead in the points table
with a 10-wicket victory, their sixth in the 2023–25 World T20 cycle. With nine
games played, they have 66 points thus far, suggesting a PCT (Percentage of
points contested) of 66.11. Australia’s second match against the West Indies
will begin on January 25 at the Gabba, a venue which the team has only lost
once since 1988. Australia might increase their total points to 78 (PCT of 65)
if Pat Cummins and his team continue their winning streak at their stronghold.
With just two victories in four games—against the West
Indies in August of last year and South Africa at the Centurion earlier this
month—India, meanwhile, is ranked second on the points chart. In the series,
Rohit Sharma and company must blank England 5-0 in order to defeat Australia.
The hosts could receive 60 points from a whitewash, bringing their total to 86
(PCT of 79.6).
In the event that England repeats their 2012
performance and either South Africa or New Zealand pulls off a clean sweep,
India—a two-time finalist—may find it difficult to place in the top two this
WTC cycle. Though it’s a long distance, Rohit and Rahul Dravid might want to
grab a seat.