India’s road to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2027 has become much clearer following the recent Tests that were played.
As every match affects the percentage points table (PCT), India still finds themselves in the race, but with very little to spare as they move forward towards the end of the cycle.
In the first of the two Tests that India played against Sri Lanka, the visitors registered a massive 165-run victory in Galle and then aimed to complete a whitewash. However, a valiant performance from Sri Lanka in the final day of the 2nd Test in Colombo helped them to hold the visitors to a draw in the final match of the series.
After a surprise win over Australia in the first Test, Bangladesh succumbed to an embarrassing loss in the second and final match of the series in Mackay. Till date, Bangladesh hold on to the fourth position but India can overtake them if they win the second match.
England moved to the sixth position, replacing Sri Lanka after their 3-0 whitewash win over Pakistan on September 12.
In this article, The Sporting News takes an in-depth look at India's WTC 2027 Final Qualification scenario.
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Latest World Test Championship Points Table
| Pos | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Ties | Draws | No Result | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 75.00 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 72.22 |
| 3 | South Africa | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 66.67 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 55.56 |
| 5 | India | 11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 51.52 |
| 6 | England | 16 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 34.44 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 33.33 |
| 8 | West Indies | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 20.83 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 16.67 |
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India's Schedule and results for the World Test Championship 2025-27
| Series | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| India tour of England (A) [5 Tests] | June 2025 | Draw 2-2 (5 matches) |
| West Indies tour of India (H) [2 Tests] | October 2025 | Won 2-0 (2 matches) |
| South Africa tour of India (H) [2 Tests] | November 2025 | Lost 0-2 (2 matches) |
| India tour of Sri Lanka (A) [2 Tests] | August 2026 | Won 1-0 (2 matches) |
| India tour of New Zealand (A) [2 Test] | October 2026 | |
| India tour of Australia (H) [5 Tests] | December 2026 |
In one of their biggest challenges, the series-levelling effort in the English summer ensured that India started the WTC cycle 2025-27 on a good note. However, the wobble in the home series against South Africa have set them back significantly.
India are currently fifth on the WTC table, having won five of their 11 Test matches.
MORE: IND squad for SL Tests: Gill returns as captain for two-match series
How can India qualify for the WTC Final 2027?
Matches remaining for India: 7 Tests
Reaching the WTC Final is based on securing one of the top-two PCTs after the completion of the league stage. In the WTC rankings, the percentage of points is considered and not the number of points, so all Tests are equally important. Victory will earn them 12 points, while a draw earns four and a tie earns six.
Thus, India's qualification hopes will depend on maintaining a strong PCT for the rest of the WTC cycle. With an away tour to New Zealand now before a home series against Australia, every Test will be crucial.
India failed to capitalise on the away tour of Sri Lanka. While they won the series, they failed to complete a whitewash and remained fifth on the points table.
However, their prospects of securing themselves among the top two will also be contingent on the performance of the other teams.
The Oval in London will host the 2027 World Test Championship Final from June 9-13, 2027.
| Team | Qualification Chance | Fixtures Remaining | Wins Needed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 70% ↓ 5% | Home: Aus (2) | Ban (2) | Eng (3) Away: SL (2) | 6/9 |
| Australia | 85% ↑ 10% | Home: NZ (4) Away: SA (3) | Ind (5) | 5/11 |
| New Zealand | 41% ↑ 1% | Home: Ind (2) | SL (2) Away: Aus (4) | Pak (2) | 6/10 |
| Bangladesh | 4% | Home: WI (2) | Eng (2) Away: SA (2) | 5/6 |
| India | 3% ↓ 3% | Home: Aus (5) Away: NZ (2) | 6/7 |
| England | 2% | Away: SA (3) | Ban (2) | 5/5 |
| Sri Lanka | 0.3% | Home: SA (2) Away: Pak (2) | NZ (2) | 6/6 |
| Pakistan | 0.008% | Home: SL (2) | NZ (2) Away: Eng (2) | — |
| West Indies | ❌ | Away: Ban (2) | ❌ |
*Wins needed to reach the likely cut-off for qualification at the end of the league stage.