Image Credit- BCCI
India’s four-match
series victory over England in Dharamsala has increased their lead at the top
of the 2023–25 World Test Championship (WTC) points standings. Regardless of
the outcome of the ongoing Christchurch Test between Australia and New Zealand,
who are ranked second and third in the points standings, they will continue to
hold their top spot.
After losing the first Test of the series against England in Hyderabad, India
dropped to fifth spot in the WTC points table. However, they won the next three
games to get back up to the top. With nine matches played (six victories, two
losses, and one tie), they have collected 74 out of 108 points, which has
increased their percentage points to 68.51% following the innings triumph in
Dharamsala.
A team receives 12
points for winning a Test, six for a tie, four for a draw, and 0 points for a
loss under the WTC points system. Additionally, because every team participates
in a different number of Tests during the WTC cycle, they are ranked based on
the percentage of points won.
In this WTC cycle, England has won three Tests, although they only have
twenty-one points because slow over rate penalties also cost points. After ten
Test matches, they are in seventh position with just 17.5 percentage points,
having lost 19 points due to sluggish over-rate penalties.
At the moment,
Australia is in third place with 59.09%, followed by New Zealand in second
place with 60%. In the current Christchurch Test, a victory for New Zealand
will push them up to 66.67%; an Australia victory will put them ahead of New
Zealand on 62.5%. India is expected to stay atop the rankings for a few months,
with just the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series remaining before the IPL season
kicks off on March 22.
Bangladesh, who now sit fourth in the WTC points standings, have only
participated in one series thus far in the current cycle. Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
West Indies, South Africa, and England are their nearest rivals.
The top two teams at the end of the WTC cycle will play the final at Lord’s in
June 2025. India had qualified for both the previous WTC finals so far, but
lost to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023.