 "The five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia will go a long way in determining India's WTC final chances. Reuters")
Team India continue to lead the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings for the 2023-25 cycle. The Rohit Sharma-led outfit have won six out of nine matches so far, losing two and drawing one game. India have 74 points on the board, with a win percentage of 68.52.
In the WTC, despite the points system being there, it’s that win percentage that counts. Australia are in second place with a win percentage of 62.50. Another big result as far as the WTC is concerned came during the two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi recently. A 2-0 series win over Pakistan propelled Bangladesh to fourth place in the WTC standings with a win percentage of 45.83.
The chances of Pakistan qualifying for the final are now slim, with the Shan Masood-led side languishing in eighth place with a win percentage of just 19.05.
India will lock horns against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under later this year, and that series will go a long way in determining India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC final at Lord’s that gets underway on 11 June, 2025.
Updated WTC points table (Image credit: ICC)
Let’s now take a look at India’s chances of reaching the WTC, and if Pakistan and Bangladesh stand a chance of qualifying:
India (1st place, 68.52%)
Remaining Test series: vs Bangladesh (two Tests at home), vs New Zealand (three Tests at home), vs Australia (Five Tests away)
India, runners-up of the 2021 and 2023 editions of the WTC, will be eager to go one step ahead and win that elusive trophy. Rohit and Co began the 2023-25 WTC cycle with a 1-0 series win over West Indies in a two-match series in the Caribbean in 2023, where incessant rain resulted in the second match ending in a draw.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAnother highlight of India’s WTC cycle was coming back to draw a two-match Test series against South Africa away after losing the first match. Earlier this year, India defeated England 4-1 in a five-match Test series, putting themselves in a strong position to qualify for next year’s final.
A total of 10 Tests remain in the current WTC cycle for India, and even if India beat Bangladesh and New Zealand in their home Test series, it could all come down to that epic five-match series against Australia that starts in November that could determine the two teams that will play the final.
Australia defeated India in the WTC final last year as well as in the ODI World Cup final. Revenge will surely be on India’s minds.
Bangladesh (4th place, 45.83%)
Remaining Test series: vs India (two Tests away), vs South Africa (two Tests at home), vs West Indies (two Tests away)
Bangladesh recently defeated Pakistan 2-0 in a two-match Test series in Pakistan, a victory that has reignited their hopes of making the WTC top two.
Bangladesh kickstarted the WTC cycle with a win over New Zealand in Sylhet, but dropped a dozen points after a loss in the second Test of that series, in Mirpur, with Bangladesh collapsing for totals of less than 200 in both innings.
Earlier this year, Bangladesh lost a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka but the series win against Pakistan will certainly boost the Tigers’ morale.
The home Test series against South Africa will prove pivotal for Bangladesh but for Bangladesh to qualify, not only must they win all their six remaining matches, but also hope two out of the top three teams (India, Australia and New Zealand) slip up.
Pakistan (8th place, 19.05 %)
Remaining Test series: vs England (three Tests at home), vs South Africa (two Tests away), vs West Indies (two Tests at home)
Pakistan have lost two out of their three Test series in this WTC cycle so far. They lost 3-0 to Australia and 2-0 to Bangladesh, and their only series win was a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka.
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The best possible finish for Pakistan is win percentage of 59.52, which means that just won’t be enough to qualify unless multiple teams slip up.
The remainder of the WTC cycle for Pakistan will act more like a build-up towards the next cycle, where they can begin with a refreshed mindset and hope to go all the way.