 "World Test Championship 2023-25: India solidify top spot with win over England")
India boosted their position at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a domineering innings and 64 runs win over England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala. The win saw India clinch the series 4-1 despite trailing 0-1 after the contest in Hyderabad.
India, two-time WTC finalists, earned 12 points with the win at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, taking their tally to 74. This has lifted their point percentage from 64.58 to 68.51.
Rohit Sharma-led India moved to the top position last week after New Zealand slipped to second place following their loss to Australia in Wellington. The Black Caps have a point percentage of 60, while Australia are third with with 59.09.
England, having suffered their fourth straight loss in India, remain eighth in the standings, seeing a drop in point percentage, from 19.44 to 17.5.
India had secured the series win with an incredible fightback in Ranchi. In Dharamsala, they cemented their dominance inside three days. Ben Stokes elected to bat and the decision was backed by his top-order, who added 100 for the loss of one wicket. However, Kuldeep Yadav (5/72) ran through the batting in the second session. His fourth Test fifer helped bowl England out for 218, while Ashwin, in his 100th Test, also contributed with 4/51 in the first innings.
In response, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched a century stand at the top. Though Jaiswal fell for 57, after becoming just the second Indian to score more than 700 runs in a Test series, Rohit and Shubman Gill continued India’s charge. Both batters scored a ton each and added 171 runs for the second wicket.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHalf-centuries from debutant Devdutt Padikkal (65) and Sarfaraz Khan (56) and a fighting 49-run partnership between Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah helped India close out for 477.
With a lead of 259 runs, India were well ahead. Led by Ashwin’s 36th Test five-wicket haul, the most for the country, India bowled out England for 195 in the second innings.
The WTC 2023-25 points table as on 9 March, after India beat England:
| Pos | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | NR | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 68.51 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 60 |
| 3 | Australia | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 78 | 59.09 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 50 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 36.66 |
| 6 | West Indies | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 33.33 |
| 7 | South Africa | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 25 |
| 8 | England | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 17.5 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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