India Maintains Top Spot in WTC Points Table Despite Australia’s Surge

The World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table has seen some significant movement following India’s dominant series win over England and Australia’s recent triumph against New Zealand.

India, led by Rohit Sharma, continues to hold the top spot with a commanding Percentage of Points (PCT) of 68.51. Their impressive run includes six victories in just nine Tests, showcasing their resilience and adaptability. Their 4-1 series win against England further solidified their position at the pinnacle.

Australia has made a strong push towards the top spot. Their recent 2-0 series sweep against New Zealand has propelled them to the second position with a PCT of 62.50. Pat Cummins’ men have displayed exceptional grit throughout the competition, winning eight out of their twelve matches played so far.

New Zealand has suffered a significant setback after their series loss to Australia. They have now slipped to the third position with a PCT of 50. This puts them in a risky position, as they are now tied with Bangladesh, a team that has only played two Tests in this WTC cycle.

The rest of the table paints a picture of varying fortunes. Pakistan sits at the fifth position with a PCT of 36.66, followed by West Indies and South Africa at the sixth and seventh positions respectively, with a winning percentage of 33.33% and 25% respectively. England finds itself languishing at the eighth spot with a disappointing PCT of 17.50. Sri Lanka remains at the bottom of the table, yet to register a single win in their two played matches.

The upcoming matches such as Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh that will start on 22 March 2024, West Indies tour of England that starts on 10 July 2024, Sri Lanka tour of England that starts on 21 August 2024; and Bangladesh Tour of India 2024, New Zealand Tour of India 2024, India Tour of Australia 2024-25 – Border-Gavaskar Trophy, whose fixtures haven’t been released yet, will be crucial in determining the final standings. India, with their comfortable lead, looks well-positioned to secure a place in the WTC final scheduled for Lord’s in 2025.

Even though Australia haven’t been playing their absolute best lately, they have again succeeded in taking home another trophy. They’re still a strong team to beat though. Now, all three, India, Australia, and New Zealand get a long break from Test cricket. India gets to relax until the month of September-October 2024, New Zealand won’t play another Test until September, and Australia will be off until November.

New Zealand needs to win their next series if they want a shot at the finals too. They will face Sri Lanka in the second half of 2024 for a two-match Away series, and then against India in a three-test Away series around October-September, and finally host England in a three-match series in November-December 2024.

England, who is on the almost bottom of the WTC 2023-25 points table, have two series at home against relatively weaker oppositions like West Indies and Sri Lanka. If they manage to sweep both series, they would add around 72 points to what they have, eventually rising the WTC table. Away, they have two series against New Zealand and Pakistan. The only way they can reach the WTC Final is by winning the two series. If they win 2-1 and do not lose points for slow over-rate. If they manage to do that, they will have enough PCT which could be crucial if other teams lose certain matches and things like that. If they manage to sweep all four upcoming series by winning 12 matches, we might see them in the final as the finalists of the WTC 2023-25.

The WTC points table continues to be a dynamic landscape, with teams vying for the coveted top spot. The ongoing competition promises exciting cricket in the months to come, as teams strive to solidify their positions and emerge as the ultimate Test champion.

In the meantime, all eyes will be on the upcoming T20 World Cup, and we can expect to see many players from all sides heading to the IPL 2024 before then!

 

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points	PCT (%)
India	09	06	02	01	74	68.51
Australia	12	08	03	01	90	62.50
New Zealand	06	03	03	00	36	50.00
Bangladesh	02	01	01	00	12	50.00
Pakistan	05	02	03	00	22	36.66
West Indies	04	01	02	01	16	33.33
South Africa	04	01	03	00	12	25.00
England	10	03	06	01	21	17.50
Sri Lanka	02	00	02	00	00	0.00