WTC 2025-27 standings after Guwahati Test: India slip further in points table, raising serious doubts over their World Test Championship final chances.
From the beginning of 2000 to August 2024, Team India earned 32 Test series victories, with only three defeats and five draws at home. Since then, India have faced two series losses at home. Their 0-2 series defeat against South Africa has now seriously damaged their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 final.
Halfway through the fourth cycle of the competition, the Blue Brigade have played nine of 18 Tests and are struggling at the fifth place on the table. In terms of their road ahead, it will only be tough from here on, with two away series out of three.
India slipped to fifth position in WTC 2025-27 points table
It’s still early days for several teams in the WTC 2025-27 cycle. New Zealand haven’t even featured in a single series yet. Their first Test series in this cycle will be against West Indies at home, starting on December 2 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Sri Lanka and Pakistan have played one series each, while England have just started their second series in this cycle.
Meanwhile, both the finalists of the previous WTC season – Australia and South Africa – have made a clinical start this time too. Both are yet to lose a contest, with the Proteas facing one draw in four fixtures.
Coming to India, they will now have to do the heavy-lifting in the second half of the campaign. That will be the only way for the Shubman Gill-led side to have a chance of finishing in the top two.
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WTC 2025-27 points table post South Africa’s 2-0 series victory vs India
| Pos | Team | Mat | Wins | Lose | Draw | Points | PCT% |
| 01 | Australia | 04 | 04 | 00 | 00 | 48 | 100 |
| 02 | SA | 04 | 03 | 01 | 00 | 36 | 75 |
| 03 | SL | 02 | 01 | 00 | 01 | 16 | 66.67 |
| 04 | Pakistan | 02 | 01 | 01 | 00 | 12 | 50 |
| 05 | India | 09 | 04 | 04 | 01 | 52 | 48.15 |
| 06 | England | 06 | 02 | 03 | 01 | 26 | 36.11 |
| 07 | BAN | 02 | 00 | 01 | 01 | 04 | 16.67 |
| 08 | WI | 05 | 00 | 05 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| 09 | NZ | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
Going by the previous numbers of the last two WTC cycles, teams will need to be around the 60-65 PCT range to make the cut. In the 2021-23 cycle, India qualified as the second team for the final with 58.80 PCT. In the last edition, the Pat Cummins-led Australia side won second place with 67.54 PCT.
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Can India qualify for the WTC 2025-27 final?
For India to get to 60 PCT they need to finish on 130 points, given they are playing 18 red-ball games in this cycle. Generally, teams collect 12 points for a victory and four points for a draw. That means India need around 80 points from their remaining nine Tests. The Blue Brigade will face Sri Lanka and New Zealand in two away Tests each and Australia in five home Tests.
If they get six wins out of those nine games and experience a couple of draws, India will end with 132 points. Or even if they win seven games, they will breach the 135-point mark. These scenarios should be enough for them to qualify for the final.
Before the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) early in 2027, India’s two away Test series will be in Sri Lanka (in August 2026) and New Zealand (October-November 2026). India have enjoyed an excellent recent record in Sri Lanka with five victories out of the last six Tests played there.
However, New Zealand could prove to be a nightmare for India as the latter lost 2-0 in 2020 and 1-0 in 2014 in New Zealand. Even if they go on to win all four away Test matches, they will still have plenty to think about regarding the Australia series for a top-two finish.
South Africa are well-placed at the second rank, with three victories from four games in two away series. Their only remaining overseas series in the ongoing WTC cycle will be in Sri Lanka in early 2027. But their six out of the eight home games against Australia and England won’t be easy. If they win both Tests against Bangladesh at home, then the equation will be comfortable for them to finish at 60 PCT.
Only 17 games have taken place out of 71 in this WTC 2025-27 edition. Regardless of how the other teams perform, this 0-2 series defeat has dented the chances of India’s WTC final qualification. Along with their personal results, they will have to keep an eye on other results.
The WTC 2025-27 final will be held in June 2027 at the iconic Lord’s in London.
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