New Delhi .Australia's position has become stronger in the race for the final of the World Test Championship 2025-27. Australia has strengthened its hold on the top position in the points table after registering a 214-run win in the Durban Test against South Africa. With this result, South Africa slipped to third place, while New Zealand moved to second place. The Indian team remains at fifth position with 51.52 percent marks.
Australia has played 11 Test matches so far in the current cycle, out of which it has won nine matches. The team has 108 points in its account and its points percentage has become 81.82. New Zealand is in second place with 72.22 percent points in six Tests with four wins, one loss and one draw. South Africa has recorded three wins and two losses in five matches. He has 36 marks and marks percentage is 60.
The Indian team has played 11 test matches so far. Of these, it has 68 points with five wins, four losses and two draws. India's marks percentage is 51.52. Despite recently winning the Test series against Sri Lanka 1-0, the position of the Indian team in the table has not changed. Fourth-placed Bangladesh has 55.56 per cent points after three wins, two losses and one draw in six matches.
England is at sixth place in the points table. They have recorded seven wins, eight losses and one draw in 16 matches. He has 74 points, but 14 points have been deducted due to slow over rate. Sri Lanka is at seventh position with 33.33 percent marks, West Indies is at eighth position with 20.83 percent marks and Pakistan is at ninth position with 4.63 percent marks. West Indies' two points and Pakistan's nine points have been deducted as penalty.
India still have seven Test matches left to make it to the final. Of these, two matches are to be played against New Zealand on its soil and five tests are to be played against Australia on Indian grounds. The results of these matches will be decisive for India's qualification chances. The team will not only have to register consecutive wins but will also have to keep an eye on the results of other contenders.
The ranking of teams in the World Test Championship is decided on the basis of points percentage i.e. PCT rather than total points. You get 12 points for a win, four for a draw and six points for a tie. Teams may have points deducted due to slow over rate. The teams securing the top two positions in the points table at the end of the cycle play the finals.
If India wins all its remaining seven Tests, its points percentage can reach 70.37. As per the current calculations, India will have a possible 152 points in 18 Tests, while the maximum points available are 216. However, merely achieving this percentage does not guarantee a place in the finals, as the results of other teams will also decide the final position.
Australia remains a major challenge for India. If Australia registers consecutive wins in its remaining matches, its points percentage could be higher than India's possible percentage. On the other hand, the results of South Africa's remaining matches against Australia can also affect the equation of the Indian team. Australia's defeat and India's victory can reduce the gap between the two teams.
New Zealand can also pose a challenge to India. He still has ten Test matches left and his current score of 72.22 percent puts him in a strong position. Along with winning both the Tests against New Zealand, India will also have to perform impressively in the home series against Australia. In such a situation, the victory in seven matches and the results of other teams will decide whether the Indian team will be able to reach the finals of 2027 or not.