India Can Seize Opacity to Top World Test Championship Points Table

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI): The Indian cricket team is still in contention for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 title despite being at No. 3 position with 57.29% points percentage.

The team has been going through a tough patches after losing to Australia's 10-wicket side at Adelaide and now dropping out of top spot. It is still alive for the WTC final, scheduled from June 11 to 15 in 2025 at Lords Grounds.

India can potentially end up as the winner if the team manages to secure wins in all five remaining Test matches against Australia, going by its match win ratio against rivals and opponent's home form.

India has to go one step ahead then of rival South Africa that is right now sitting at No. 1 with 63.33% PCT%, which are on a two match home series against Pakistan from Dec 26 to 27th.

According to latest ICC points System, for this scenario India score a total of 64 points and won't drop below 55.26 percentage if it manage all its matches at hand. South Africa on other side is expected to end up around 69.44 percentage but they can do better only when they beat Pakistan in two match series starting from Dec 26.

This situation gives India a good scope of winning over South Africa or drawing the remaining 3 tests of this ongoing five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy to finally give them an edge over SA who is currently leading overall points table but won't continue leading because their only advantage lies in beating Pakistan while it happens after Dec26th

Also, if India manages to secure top spot it will pave a way for the team from Australia. As per ICC, top 2 teams of this cycle will play against each other and given that scenario, losing finalists - Australia had finished at No3 in previous edition of WTC with 57% points percentage which is pretty close but also India is having decent home form like South Africa.

The third, fourth, and fifth Tests of the ongoing five-match series between India and Australia are scheduled to take place in Brisbane (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30), and Sydney (January 3-7), respectively.

India's chances to emerge as top seeds for WTC finals are strong if it end up beating Australia in this remaining schedule.