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The Rohit Sharma-led Team India went down 2-0 to register their first-ever Test series defeat against New Zealand at home after losing the second straight Test match on Saturday, October 26 by 113 runs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. With this, India not only lost the series with still one Test match to go, but they also ended their 18-match winning streak in home Tests.
However, with this defeat, Team India has been handed a massive blow to their World Test Championship (WTC) Final hopes with them still needing at least four wins from the remaining six Test matches. Although, the Men in Blue continue to dominate the WTC standings with eight wins, four losses and one draw from 13 matches and a percentage of 62.82. They sit just eight points above the defending WTC champions, Australia, who are second with 62.50 percent.
New Zealand pip South Africa to come at fourth place in WTC Standings
Meanwhile, New Zealand, who are also in race to make their second appearance in the WTC Final, set to take place from 11 to 15 June 2025 at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, have also opened their chances as they jumped a place, pipping South Africa. The Tom Latham-led side, who came to India after a daunting 0-2 series defeat against Sri Lanka, clinched the series against India with the final Test set to be played in November.
With a comprehensive win, they pipped South Africa to claim the fourth place. From the ten Test matches, the Kiwis have won five and lost as many matches and have a percentage of 50.00. They have to win all their remaining four Test matches in the WTC cycle 2023-25 (one against India and three-match series against England at home) to get to the maximum of 64 percentage and seal a spot in the WTC Final.
Here’s how the WTC 2023-25 Points Table looks like:
Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Draw | DED | Points | Percentage |
1 | India | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 98 | 62.82 |
2 | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 62.50 |
3 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
4 | New Zealand | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00 |
5 | South Africa | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 47.62 |
6 | England | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 93 | 40.79 |
7 | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 33.33 |
8 | Bangladesh | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 30.56 |
9 | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 18.52 |
