WTC table: India rise to second with win over England
India hammered England in the third Test in Rajkot by 434 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series. Courtesy of the record-breaking win, Rohit Sharma's men have jumped to second spot in the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table. India were exceptional throughout the Rajkot Test as they pipped Australia to second position.
A look at the match summary
India compiled a mammoth total of 445 courtesy of centuries from Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja. Mark Wood starred for England with 4/114. In reply, England managed 319 as opener Ben Duckett made 153. India declared their second innings at 430/4 thanks to Yashasvi Jaiswal (214*) and Shubman Gill (91). England never got going in their fourth innings as they folded on Day 4.
India move up to second spot in the WTC table
India have now won four of their seven matches in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. They have accumulated 50 points with a points percentage of 59.52. Courtesy of this big win they have now surpassed Australia in the WTC standings. India were down to fifth spot after losing the first Test against England but consecutive wins helped them rise again.
NZ remain at the summit
NZ whitewashed South Africa 2-0 at home recently and claimed their position at the summit in the WTC standings. They surpassed Australia with their first win over the Proteas. The Kiwis now have 36 points and a points percentage of 75. They have won three out of four matches and lost one in the current cycle. Earlier, NZ played a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh.
Australia drop down to third spot
Before the NZ-SA series, Australia were the table toppers. They now occupy the third spot despite losing the 2nd Test (Day/Night) to West Indies. They earlier demolished Pakistan 3-0 in their previous Test series. Having featured in 10 Test matches, the Kangaroos have won six and lost three while registering a solitary draw. They own 66 points and a PCT of 55%.
England languish in eighth position
England fell to seventh spot after they lost the Visakhapatnam Test against India. With another defeat in Rajkot, they have dropped to eighth spot in the 2023-25 WTC standings. The Three Lions have lost four out of eight Tests in this cycle and have amassed 21 points with a points percentage of 21.88. Earlier, England registered a 2-2 draw in the Ashes.
Decoding positions of Pakistan and WI
Pakistan hold fifth place with 22 points and 36.66% PCT. The tally includes two wins and three defeats (PCT: 36.66%). Meanwhile, WI are in sixth place. They now have two defeats, a win, and a draw in this cycle (16 points). Their PTC went up to 33.33% following a 1-1 tied series against Australia last month courtesy of a great win in Brisbane.
What about Bangladesh and Sri Lanka?
Bangladesh are in fourth place and they own 12 points and a PCT of 50%. They have one win and a defeat. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, having lost both their Tests in this cycle, are at the bottom. They are yet to open their account.
A look at the WTC points system
As has been the case, the ICC WTC standings are determined by the percentage of points earned. There are 12 points available for each win in the WTC. Four points are awarded to each team for a draw, with the teams earning six for a tie. A loss leads to no point deduction, while teams can lose points because of slow over-rates.
