Team India has played one Test series in 2026 till now against Afghanistan and registered a 1-0 victory. India currently ranks 5th in the WTC (2025–27) standings with 4 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw in 9 matches, and a Points Percentage (PCT) of 48.15%. India had to play 9 Test Matches in the 2025- 2027 World Cup cycle.
India’s goal of reaching a third consecutive ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final remains alive after a 0-2 home series loss to South Africa . Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, India won 5, lost 3, and drew 1 of 9 Test matches. For Gill and Team India, with nine Test matches left in the WTC cycle, the pathway to the WTC 2027 final at Lord’s is shattering. India must win the home Test series and dominate in away Test series.
How points are calculated in the WTC (World Test Championship)
The ICC World Test Championship follows the Percentage of Points Won (PCT) approach. Under PCT, points are calculated as follows-
- One Victory and the team gets 12 points
- 6 points will be awarded if the match ends in a tie
- 4 points if the match ends in a draw
Example Scenario
Imagine Team A plays a 4-match Test series:
Maximum Points Team A gets in 4 Test Matches
- 4 matches x 12 maximum points per match = 48 points gained
Calculated the Points
- Match 1: Won 12 Points
- Match 2: Loss 0 Points
- Match 3: Won 12 Points
- Match 4: Draw 4 points
- Total Points Team A Gained= 12+0+12+4=28 Points
Apply the PCT Formula
(28/48)x100 =58.33%
India’s journey in the 2025–2027 cycle has been lots of ups and downs. India secured a 2-2 draw in a five-Test away series against England, followed by a humiliating 0-2 whitewash against South Africa on home soil, damaging India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC .
India Overall Stats in WTC Cycle 2025-2027
Total Matches played : 9
Won: 4
Lost : 4
Draw : 1
Tie : 0
PCT (Percentage of Points) : 48.15
Australia tops the WTC table with 87.50% PCT, while South Africa trails at 75.00% and is followed by New Zealand at 72.22% and Bangladesh at 58.33%. To finish in the top 2 of the WTC, India had to win 8 out of 9 matches to keep their hopes alive .
India’s upcoming Test Series
India Tour of Sri Lanka (Away)
- India will play 2 high-voltage matches on Sri Lankan soil. The first Test match will be played from 15 August to 19 August. The final Test match will be played from 23 August to 27 August.
India Tour of New Zealand (Away)
- New Zealand will host India for a two-match Test Series. India’s toughest rival, New Zealand’s swing pitches and uneven bounce will challenge India’s road to the WTC final. India will played 2 matches Series . The Series will kick start from 19-23 Nov 2026.
Australia Tour of India (Home)
- The India-Australia Test match series will consist of 5 Test matches. India had the edge over table-toppers Australia at home. Australian batters struggle in India, and India will look to clinch the series.
The Magical Number : Eight victories from Nine Test Matches
India will play 18 Test matches in the ICC WTC Cycle (2025-2027) . India can earn 108 points across their final nine matches in the ICC WTC .
How the numbers vary across different outcomes:
9 wins, 0 losses: India will gain 108 points, strengthening its position to qualify for the WTC final. If India achieves this feat, its hopes for the WTC final will be at an all-time high. But this feat will be tough, as India has had 2 away Test series. Beating New Zealand in the home series is not everyone’s cup of tea.
8 Wins, 1 Loss: This yields an additional 96 points, bringing India’s total to 148 points (a final percentage of 68.52%) and securing a top-two placement without external assistance.
Any scenario where India wins seven or less than 7 matches will put India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC hanging . India have to rely on other teams’ results to qualify for the WTC final played at Lord’s.
Top 2 favorites to qualify for the WTC Final at Lords
Australia
- Australia topped the table with 87.50% with flawless stats of 7 wins out of 8 test matches. Australia had the best chance of qualifying for the WTC, as they still had to play 14 more test matches. Australia needs to win 4-5 more matches to secure their ticket to the WTC Final. Australia had 2 home series and 2 away assignments.
South Africa
The defending champions of the ICC WTC currently sit in second place in the table with 75.00%. South Africa outplayed India at home, securing a 2-0 clean sweep, which has given them a strong hold in the WTC Table. Proteas have played 4 matches, securing 3 wins and suffering 1 loss.
South Africa has to win 5-6 matches in the remaining 8 Test matches. But why is South Africa the favorite to qualify? South Africa will play all 8 of their remaining Test matches on home soil, with a home advantage, and the conditions at home give them an extra edge.
Why Team India Misses Mohammed Shami in World Cup: Statistical Breakdown
Last Updated on August 6, 2026 by Aditiya Sharma