Team India have been at the top of the Cricket World Test Championship points table since their first win against the West Indies in the Caribbean islands. They will continue to be there at the end of the Freedom Trophy even if they lose the third and final test against South Africa at Ranchi.
The World Test Championship began with the Ashes in August 2019. Each match carried 24 points as it was a five-match test series. Both teams won 2 each and drew 1. Therefore, they got to 48 points for the wins and 12 for a draw, taking them to 60 points each. In the following month, New Zealand went to Sri Lanka after a heartbreaking loss in the World Cup Final. They tied the two-test series 1-1. Hence, both teams got 60 points each.
As a result, four teams, Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka are tied on 60 points each. By then, the touring Indian side had thrashed the West Indians and taken a lead with 120 points to their name. By now, it was India (120), Australia (60), England (60), New Zealand (60), Sri Lanka (60), West Indies (0) and the other teams were yet to begin their Championship campaign.
India are dominating the world cricket series no matter what happens next
The World Test Championship schedule slightly went in favour of the Indians as far as the number of points are concerned as they got two more home series in the next two months. The performance of India in India is one of the most dominating performances in world cricket in today’s day and age. Each and every opposition has struggled against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav since 2015 and every team considers the task as the ‘most difficult series in the world’.
The South Africans had to face it in the WTC before everybody else and they could not spring any surprise in the first two tests. The only thing going in their favour was that they conceded only a 71-run lead in the first innings of the first Test. The inevitable occurred in the second innings as the Proteas batsmen collapsed and went down 0-1 in the series. The second Test was one of the Tests that went according to the template.
India post a huge total in the first innings with a Virat Kohli century (this time it was a massive double hundred) and then declare the innings. The opposition fails to catch up with India’s total and falter twice before losing by an innings. As the India vs South Africa Test series consists of three matches, each match carries 40 points.
India are 2-0 up and have earned 80 points from the series. Therefore, the WTC points table right now is as follows
If India manage to win the third Test as well, the points table will be
If South Africa pull out something out of the blue and manage to win the third Test, the points table will be as follows
If the third Test ends in a draw or a tie, the points table will be
Therefore, in any case, Team India will maintain the top spot in the World Test Championship Points Table.
