The next few months will be gruelling for the India Test team. They have nine Tests to play, four of them away from home, in the ongoing WTC cycle and have very little margin for error if they are to make the final at The Oval in June next year.
Shubman Gill and his men have played nine Tests in the cycle thus far, winning four, losing four and drawing one. They cannot afford any more slip-ups in the remaining matches, especially with two away tours coming up next.
Updated WTC 2025-27 points tablePosition
Team
Played
Won
Lost
Drawn
No Result
Deducted
Points
PCT
1
Australia
8
7
1
0
0
0
84
87.5
2
South Africa
4
3
1
0
0
0
36
75
3
New Zealand
6
4
1
1
0
0
52
72.22
4
Bangladesh
4
2
1
1
0
0
28
58.33
5
India
9
4
4
1
0
0
52
48.15
6
Sri Lanka
4
1
1
2
0
0
20
41.67
7
England
13
4
8
1
0
14
38
24.36
8
Pakistan
6
2
4
0
0
8
16
22.22
9
West Indies
12
2
8
2
0
2
30
20.83
Their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starts on Saturday, August 15, while their two-Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to be played in November this year. Their cycle will conclude with the five-match Test series against Australia at home early next year.
Here’s how India can make it to the 2025-27 WTC finalIndia’s PCT currently stands at 48.15 with 52 points from nine games. In the last two cycles of the World Test Championship, a PCT of around 60 has proved to be enough for a team to reach the final. For the unversed, 12 points are awarded for a win, six for a tie, and four for a draw.
Now India can get to a maximum of 74.07 by winning all of their remaining nine Tests. While not impossible, that scenario is unlikely given their poor record in New Zealand, where they haven’t won a Test since 2009, and their recent form at home, where they have lost five of their last eight Tests.
To reach a PCT of 60, India need at least 78 more points from the remaining nine games, meaning they cannot lose more than two Tests. If they lose three, the maximum number of points they can add to their tally is 72, which will not be enough for the magic number of 60 PCT.
Here’s how India can earn 78 or more points in their remaining Tests:
- 6 wins and 2 draws will take their PCT to 61.11.
- Seven wins will strengthen their chances of making the WTC final even more, as they will sit at 62.96 per cent at the end of the series against Australia.
- It goes without saying that eight or nine wins will likely seal their place in the summit clash of the ongoing WTC cycle.
Note: The calculation is done assuming India aren't docked any penalty points due to slow over-rates.
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