India Tops WTC Points Table After Dominant Win Over Australia – Race for Lord’s Final Heats Up

India has moved to the top of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table following a dominant 295-run win over Australia in the first Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth.

This victory takes India to 61.11 percentage points, while Australia drops to second place with 57.59 percentage points. However, the race to the final at Lord’s is still wide open, as the top five teams remain in the hunt for a spot in the final.

India’s position is strong, but their chances of qualifying for the final depend on the results of their remaining matches.

To secure a spot in the final, India must win three of their last four Tests against Australia and at least draw one. A 4-0 series win would ensure India finishes with over 65 percentage points.

If they lose a Test, India will rely on other teams, like South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, to lose their remaining matches.

The second Test of the India-Australia series will take place in Adelaide on December 6, 2024. India’s schedule also includes further Tests against Australia in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Australia, now in second place, must win at least five of their remaining six matches. They can still qualify if they win four matches against India and draw their series with Sri Lanka. However, if they lose the series to India 2-3, they will need other results to go in their favour.

New Zealand, the first-ever WTC champions, have 54.55 percentage points. Despite their impressive 3-0 win over India, they must win their remaining matches against England to stay in contention for a spot in the final.

Sri Lanka, in third place with 55.56 percentage points, is on a winning streak, having triumphed in their last three series.

With four games left, they have a strong chance of pushing for a top spot. If they win three of their remaining matches, they could reach 61 percentage points and stay in the race for the final.

South Africa, with 54.17 percentage points, has a chance to secure their place by winning all their remaining home matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. If they win all four matches, they will reach a PCT of 69.4%, strengthening their chances of making the final.

The upcoming matches for all teams will be crucial in deciding the final spots for the 2025 ICC World Test Championship at Lord’s, London.