ICC World Test Championship: India take dominant lead with South Africa clean sweep

The ICC World Test Championship is already the major buzzword for cricket lovers with the top two teams in the table slated to play the final Test match for the Championship crown in June, 2021. The winners of this game will be the World Test Champions, a major honour indeed!

At the moment, with several teams vying for the honours, India have steadily consolidated their spot at the very top of the ICC (International Cricket Council) World Test Championship standings. With a clean sweep against South Africa, India are placed at first position, having garnered 120 points in all (40 points for every Test match). The third and final Test match saw India trounce South Africa 3-0 in the series, by winning by a whopping innings and 202 runs. This match held in Ranchi, not only gave India a thumping series win but also pride of place in the World Test Championship.

The points usually range from 60 points for two-match Test series’ to 24 points for every game in a 5-match Test series as per the statement released by the ICC. India now have 240 points and are sitting pretty at the top of the table, having won 5 out of their 5 games in contention. India have continued strongly from their 2-0 victory against the West Indies. They will now get another opportunity to widen this lead when they play a two-match home Test series against Bangladesh. This tournament starts from the 14^th of November, 2019.

At number two in the table are both New Zealand and Sri Lanka who are tied on 60 points each, after having drawn their two-match Test series 1-1. Both teams have now won 1 out of their 2 games played so far. England and Australia also remain at third place with both tied at 56 points. This comes after both teams drew the Ashes Series at 2-2. Both teams have won two games, lost two games and drawn one game in 5 Test matches.

West Indies and South Africa have lost all their games so far. The teams have lost 2 and 3 Test matches respectively to India which leaves them without any points on the ICC World Test Championship table. The other two teams in the fray are Bangladesh and Pakistan who have not played any Test match under this new system till now. India has already built up a formidable lead and will be aiming to smoothly make the World Test Championship finals in 2021.