India Extends Lead in World Test Championship After England Series Win

India's dominance in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) continues as they extend their lead at the top of the points table after defeating England in Dharamsala. The 4-1 series victory solidifies India's position as the number one Test team, regardless of the outcome of the ongoing Christchurch Test between New Zealand and Australia.

India's resurgence in the WTC began after a disappointing start to the series against England. After losing the first Test in Hyderabad, they rallied to win the next three matches, climbing back to the top of the standings. The innings victory in Dharamsala further cemented their position, boosting their percentage points to 68.51%.

The WTC points system awards 12 points for a Test win, six for a tie, four for a draw, and zero for a defeat. Teams are ranked based on the percentage of points won, as each team plays a varying number of Tests in the WTC cycle.

India's success in the WTC is attributed to their consistent performances and ability to win matches in different conditions. They have now won six out of nine matches in the ongoing cycle, with only two defeats and one draw.

Meanwhile, England's slow over-rate penalties have hindered their progress in the WTC. Despite winning three Tests in this cycle, they have lost 19 points for slow over-rate penalties, dropping them to eighth place with only 17.5 percentage points.

New Zealand and Australia remain in contention for the top two spots. If New Zealand wins the Christchurch Test, they will increase their percentage points to 66.67%, while an Australian victory would move them ahead of New Zealand on 62.5%.

With only a Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series remaining before the IPL season begins, India is set to maintain their number one ranking for the foreseeable future. The top two teams at the end of the WTC cycle will qualify for the final at Lord's in June 2025. India has previously qualified for both WTC finals but lost to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023.

Tags: #Cricket, #WTC, #India, #England, #TestCricket