WTC Points Table: Where Does Team India Stand After 165-Run Win over Sri Lanka in Galle Test?

Team India secured a 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Galle Test, driven by Manav Suthar's six-wicket haul. This crucial win improves India's position to fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings. The victory revives their campaign, but the path to the final remains challenging with key series ahead.

Team India secured a crucial victory in the first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium on Wednesday, August 19. The Shubman Gill-led side defeated the hosts by 165 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series before the second Test, which will begin on August 23 in Colombo.

On the final day of the Galle Test, the visitors bundled out the hosts for 206 in 77.4 overs while they were chasing a 372-run target. Despite a resilient 95-run partnership between skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (59) and Sonal Dishun (84), Sri Lanka collapsed under the pressure of the Indian bowling attack.

Manav Suthar led India’s bowling attack with figures of 6/55 at an economy rate of 2.30 in his spell of 23.4 overs. Pacer Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets while conceding just 16 at an economy rate of 1.6 in 10 overs. While veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (1/71) and Mohammed Siraj (1/15) also chipped in with vital breakthroughs.

Where Does Team India Stand After Galle Test Win?

The 165-run win over Sri Lanka in the Galle Test is crucial for Team India, as their path to the World Test Championship (WTC) final had hit a roadblock after recent setbacks, including a series whitewash at the hands of South Africa at home.

Though a 2-2 draw against England and a 2-0 whitewash against West Indies might have provided some much-needed momentum, India needed a strong start to their Sri Lanka tour to keep their WTC campaign alive and strengthen their chances of reaching the final. Before Galle, Team India was at the fifth spot on the WTC points table with 4 wins, as many losses, and a draw, and had a points percentage (PCT) of 48.15% after nine matches.

After an opening Test win against Sri Lanka, India's (PCT) improved to 53.33%, keeping them safely in the fifth position in the WTC 2025-27 standings behind Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. India has played 10 matches so far in the ongoing WTC cycle, winning 5, losing 4, and drawing 1.

Crucial WTC points for India ✅ pic.twitter.com/BZHJlTvHGA

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) August 19, 2026

Team India missed out on qualifying for their third consecutive WTC final in 2025 following a 4-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy defeat to Australia Down Under, which ended their run of back-to-back appearances in the summit clash after reaching the final in the 2019-2021 and 2021-23 cycles.

India’s ongoing WTC cycle began with a 2-2 draw in the five-match Test series against England in England, followed by a 2-0 Test series win against the West Indies at home. However, the Shubman Gill-led side suffered a shock Test series whitewash against South Africa, ending India’s historic 18-Test unbeaten run at home.

What Next for Team India?

The Galle Test win against Sri Lanka might have given a major boost to Team India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC final, but the road to the summit clash is still fraught with challenges, requiring consistent performances in the upcoming encounters to secure their spot.

India need to win the second and final Test of the series against Sri Lanka in Colombo to further solidify their standing in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table and continue building crucial momentum for the remainder of the cycle. Thereafter, the two-time WTC finalists will have seven more matches to play in the ongoing cycle.

The Beautiful Game of Test Cricket, indeed. 💙🏏

A landmark 600th Test for Team India, capped off with a performance to remember. ✨ 

Watch #SLvIND 2nd Test, starting 23rd August 10 AM onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV channels & Sony LIV.#SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV… pic.twitter.com/mZNQ4F7yy3

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 19, 2026

After the Sri Lanka Test series, India’s next red-ball assignment will be against New Zealand, where the Shubman Gill-led side will play a two-match Test series in November-December 2026, with the opening match taking place in Wellington from November 19-23, followed by the second in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1.

Thereafter, India will take on Australia in a crucial five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy on home soil, which could prove decisive in determining their WTC final qualification. The series will begin on January 21, 2027, in Nagpur, with the remaining Tests scheduled in Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad.

A clinical victory for #TeamIndia in the Galle Test.

Manav Suthar's 6 wicket haul in the second innings, guides India to a 165 run win over Sri Lanka.

Scorecard - https://t.co/M9LVyCAp8y #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/QxAhFQGZke

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 19, 2026

Out of the seven remaining matches, Team India will have to win at least seven games to comfortably secure a top-two finish in the standings. However, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh will also have a significant say in India’s qualification chances, with their respective results potentially affecting the final WTC standings.