WTC 2025-27: Detailed schedule of Team India and other teams in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
The World Test Championship (WTC) enters its fourth edition just three days after South Africa’s WTC 2023-25 victory at Lord’s over Australia. Sri Lanka will host Bangladesh in the first Test of the new cycle in a two-match series, starting June 17 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
The structure of the competition for the 2025-27 cycle remains the same. Nine participating teams will engage in several feisty challenges of red-ball cricket. The cycle, spanning over the next two years, will consist of 71 encounters.
After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test retirement, India will welcome a new era under Shubman Gill, starting with the five-match series in England.
Australia, England, and India to feature in most Tests during WTC 2025-27
Pat Cummins-led Australia will play the most games in the upcoming WTC 2025-27 cycle, with a whopping 22 Tests. Ben Stokes’ England are second on the list with 21 games. Their first away trip will be the Ashes 2025-26. The two-time runners-up of the event, India, are third on the list with 18 five-day clashes.
After the Proteas’ heroics in the ten sessions of the Lord’s Test, the expectations will be high in the upcoming cycle. Unbeaten under Temba Bavuma since August 2024, many predicted a high number of red-ball encounters for the Rainbow Nation. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.
They will play their first series of the new cycle in Pakistan in October 2025. However, the fans need to wait for 15 months to see the side playing home Tests. They will host Australia for three Tests in September 2026.
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Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will jointly play the least number of games in the WTC 2025-27. All of their six series will feature two Test matches.
India’s overseas challenge continues in WTC 2025-27
The Blue Brigade had a great chance of qualifying for their third successive WTC final had they not slipped in the last two series. A historic whitewash at home by New Zealand and a 3-1 series defeat down under snatched the golden opportunity. For the fourth cycle, their overseas challenge continues.
It will begin with the five-match series in England. With no Kohli and Rohit in the side, they will lack experience under the young wings of Gill. They are yet to win a Test series in England since 2007. Due to the quality of their bowling department, especially in Jasprit Bumrah, they are not likely to face a 5-0 whitewash.
However, even a 4-1 or 3-2 series defeat won’t be a good start to the new cycle. Their next trip to the tournament will be in August 2026, when they meet Sri Lanka for two red-ball fixtures.
After the Blue Brigade’s nightmare against the Kiwi spinners at home last year, facing Sri Lanka spinners will be a huge task. Against the Blackcaps in that series, none of the India batters (those who scored 100+ runs) averaged over 40 except Rishabh Pant (43.50).
Curiously, Gill’s army won’t play any five-day clash at home in 2026 other than a sole Test against Afghanistan. That sits outside the WTC 2025-27 cycle. Their last away red-ball series of the two-year cycle will be in New Zealand, who host them for two Tests in October 2026. Notably, India are yet to win a Test series in that country since 2008/09.
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India eye home Tests for WTC 2025-27 qualification
For the fourth-ranked red-ball side, the aim will be to win most home Test matches. They will play four of the nine games this year against West Indies and South Africa. The former isn’t a strong side in the longest format at present. Meanwhile, the Proteas haven’t tasted a red-ball series win in India since 1999/00.
The biggest challenge for the Blue Brigade will be the five-match series against the WTC 2021-23 champions, Australia. The touris haven’t won a red-ball series in that country since 2004-05. However, they have challenged India in every prospect with both the bat and ball in hand.
At least nine wins in 11 home encounters in this cycle will put Gill’s army in a strong position for qualification. But their job will be to keep focusing until the final series of the cycle. They slipped at the eleventh hour in the previous cycles and they can’t afford to repeat the same.
Read More: Team India’s schedule in remainder of 2025
