The World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle has commenced with a flurry of activity, as three Test series have already begun to shape the nascent standings. While Australia and England have made strong initial strides, India and the West Indies are looking to recover lost ground.
Australia and England currently hold the top two positions on the WTC table, each boasting a perfect 100% points percentage after securing victories in their opening matches. Following closely is Sri Lanka, positioned third after concluding their two-match series against Bangladesh with one win and one draw. Bangladesh, having experienced a draw and a loss, currently occupies the fourth position.
Meanwhile, South Africa, the reigning champions, along with New Zealand, and Pakistan, are yet to commence their WTC campaigns in this cycle.
India's initial match did not unfold as planned, despite demonstrating impressive resilience at Headingley. Despite the presence of five centurions from the visiting team, they suffered a defeat as England executed a remarkable chase, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Chasing a target of 371, England capitalized on a dominant opening partnership between Ben Duckett (149) and Zak Crawley, while Joe Root and debutant Jamie Smith steered the chase to victory with an unbroken partnership. Shubman Gill’s squad were left contemplating a middle-order collapse and costly dropped catches that ultimately impacted the game's outcome.
Following the match, Gill acknowledged that India had opportunities but failed to capitalize on them. He indicated that India had aimed for a larger lead, but a lack of runs from the lower order impacted their plans.
India will now shift their attention to the second Test at Edgbaston, with hopes of a quick turnaround to keep their WTC campaign alive. Currently, they are positioned near the bottom of the table alongside the West Indies.
The current WTC cycle commenced with Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh on June 17 and is set to continue until the final in 2027.
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