Rain threatens India's dream of WTC finals in match against Sri Lanka

For the Indian team to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, it must demonstrate outstanding performance in the remaining matches. Currently, the Indian team ranks fifth in the points table, making the path forward challenging.

Former head coach Rahul Dravid believes that the Indian squad is slightly behind in this race, but he is confident in the team's ability to recover. India has seven Test matches left after its tour of Sri Lanka. To secure a spot in the final, the team led by Shubman Gill needs to win at least six games.

Despite the victory over Sri Lanka, the team will need to achieve consistent wins in upcoming fixtures. India is scheduled to play two Tests in New Zealand, where conditions are always difficult, and young players will require time to adapt.

The potential absence of experienced batsmen such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane could pose a serious test for the new team during the matches in New Zealand. Furthermore, in January, the Australian team will visit India for a series of five Test matches. The Australian athletes will aim to win the series in India, as their current generation has never won a Test series in India.

Rahul Dravid expresses hope that the Indian team should not be underestimated, even despite the significant challenges and the lack of experience from senior players. He believes that if the players remain in form and execute the correct strategy, the dream of a final appearance can become a reality. Dravid expressed hope that the Indian players will deliver their best against New Zealand and Australia.

India secured a convincing victory in the first match of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where Indian batsmen showed excellent skill in the second Test. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel scored a hundred each, forcing Sri Lanka into a defensive approach in the Colombo match. Nevertheless, even after winning this series, reaching the World Test Championship final will be a difficult task for India.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the first match of the two-match series in Galle, winning by a margin of 165 runs, thereby increasing its score to 1-0. Before this victory, the Indian team held fifth place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 table, with 48.15% of points after 9 matches.

After the win in the Galle match, the Indian team's percentage of points rose to 53.33%, but it still holds fifth place. The second and final match of this series is scheduled for August 23 at the SSC ground in Colombo. India aims to win this series 2-0.

In the WTC standings, India is still behind Bangladesh, which is in fourth place with 66.67% of points after 5 matches, having secured 3 wins. India has 8 test matches left to play, but the probability of making a mistake is extremely low.

If the Indian team wins all remaining matches, its percentage of points will reach 74.07%, which could almost guarantee it a spot in the WTC final. However, even a single defeat could drastically change the entire situation.

With one loss, India's percentage of points will drop to 68.52%; with two losses, it will fall to 62.96%; and after three losses, it will be 57.41%. If India wins 5 out of 8 matches and draws 2, its PCT will be 61.11%.

After the visit to Sri Lanka, the Indian team will travel to New Zealand, where it is set to play two test matches. This tour does not promise to be easy, as New Zealand has previously presented serious challenges to India.

Subsequently, the Indian team will participate in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, which will last for five matches. Australia also poses a serious threat to India, so these matches cannot be considered simple either. An Indian victory over Australia with a score of 4-1 or 3-1 would put the team in a very strong position.

Currently, Australia leads the table with 77.78% of points, while South Africa has 75%, New Zealand has 72.22%, and Bangladesh has 66.67%, ahead of India. Therefore, India needs not only to win its matches but also to monitor the results of other teams. In the WTC, 12 points are awarded for every test victory, 4 for a draw, and zero for a loss, meaning that every defeat has a significant impact on the percentage of points.

The Indian team secured a convincing victory over Sri Lanka on the fifth day of the Galle Test, defeating the team by 165 runs. With this win, India gained a 1-0 advantage in the series. The next match for the Indian team is scheduled for Sunday, August 23rd.

Players from both sides showed great form in the match. Devdhadhath Padikkal impressed with his play in the first half of the match, while Manav Suthar demonstrated outstanding performance with the ball. Manav Suthar helped the team prevent Sri Lanka from mounting a comeback, taking four and six wickets respectively in two innings.

Captain Shubman Gill's decision to bat after the toss proved justified. Devdhadhath Padikkal, coming out to bat third, played a memorable innings, scoring his first century of his career and accumulating an impressive 167 runs.

India set a target of 372 runs. In the first innings, the Indian team scored 462 runs, to which Sri Lanka could only manage 284 runs, giving India a strong lead of 178 runs. In the second innings, the Indian batsmen played aggressively and set a target of 372 runs. Bowler Rishabh Pant achieved an explosive half-century milestone and became the fastest bowler in the world to take 100 Test sixes.

Sri Lanka's second innings could not withstand the Indian bowlers. The second and final Test between India and Sri Lanka will take place on August 23rd at the SSC stadium in Colombo. Following this, India is set to play two Test matches against New Zealand, and the cycle will conclude with the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia next year.

According to the latest ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 table, Australia confidently holds the first position, having accumulated 84 points out of 77.77% PCT in 9 matches with seven victories. South Africa is in second place, having earned 36 points and 75.00% PCT in four matches. New Zealand occupies third place with 52 points and 72.22% PCT after four wins in six matches, while Bangladesh is in fourth place with 28 points and 66.67% PCT after three wins in five matches.

After winning the Galle Test, the Indian team moved to fifth place in the rankings, accumulating 64 points with 53.33% PCT in 10 matches, including 5 wins, 4 losses, and one draw. Sri Lanka, having lost to India, dropped to sixth place, with only 20 points and 33.33% PCT after five matches, winning just one. At the bottom of the table, England is in seventh place with 24.36% PCT, having gathered 38 points in 13 matches. Pakistan is in eighth place with 22.22% PCT, holding 16 points in 6 matches, and West Indies is in last ninth place with 20.83% PCT, having collected 30 points in 12 matches.