India’s chances of making a third consecutive WTC final have been significantly impacted following their series loss to New Zealand on Saturday.
New Zealand clinched their first-ever Test series win on Indian soil in Pune on Saturday, marking a turning point in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings and putting India’s WTC final hopes in jeopardy.
The victory has boosted New Zealand’s position, elevating them to fourth place in the WTC standings with 50.00 percentage points, leapfrogging South Africa, who now hold the fifth position at 47.62 points. The win has also intensified the competition as multiple teams strive to secure a top-two finish, which would guarantee a spot in the 2025 WTC final.
Meanwhile, India’s chances of making a third consecutive WTC final have been significantly impacted. Following their fourth defeat in this WTC cycle, India leads Australia by a slim margin of just 0.32 percentage points, with India at 62.82 and Australia at 62.50. These back-to-back losses at home have placed India in a must-win situation as they prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, where a series victory is essential for their WTC aspirations.
Have a look at the updated WTC points table after New Zealand clinched a historic Test series win against India in India 🏏
India remain on 🔝 but drop their winning percentage from 74% to 62.8% 👀, while New Zealand climb up to the fourth spot. … pic.twitter.com/sl0tZRPqft
Sri Lanka currently occupies the third spot with 55.56 percentage points, remaining in contention alongside other strong teams. The upcoming third and final Test between India and New Zealand, set to begin on November 1 in Mumbai, has now become critical for India to keep their WTC hopes alive.
In another recent WTC development, Pakistan claimed a nine-wicket victory over England in Rawalpindi, securing a 2-1 series win. This result has elevated Pakistan to seventh place with 33.33 points, just behind England, who stand sixth with 40.79 points.