India have once again claimed the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings following an emphatic 106-run victory over England in the second Test in Vizag on February 5. With this win Rohit Sharma-led India narrowed the gap between them and the top-ranked Australia in the WTC points table. After the defeat in the first Test against England in Hyderabad, India had slipped from second to fifth place in the WTC standings. Nevertheless, their recent triumph against England in the second Test has propelled them back up the rankings, increasing their point percentage to 52.77. The upper half of the table remains fiercely competitive, with only a 5% point percentage difference separating five teams.
The 106-run win over England in the second Test marks India's third victory in the championship, with their previous two triumphs coming against West Indies and South Africa. Meanwhile, England find itself languishing in the eighth position with only 21 points out of the 84 they have played for.
On the other hand, Australia continue to top the chart in the WTC 2023-2025 points table, and for India to surpass them, Rohit Sharma's brigade will need to secure victories in their remaining Tests against England.
This is how WTC 2023-2025 points table looks like after India's win in second Test vs England:
| Team | Matches | Win | Loss | Draw | Points | Percent |
| Australia | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 66 | 55.00 |
| India | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 52.77 |
| South Africa | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| New Zealand | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| Bangladesh | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| Pakistan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 36.66 |
| West Indies | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 33.33 |
| England | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 25.00 |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
How India diffused England's Bazball?
England, in pursuit of a 399-run target for victory, appeared to be holding their ground at 95-1 before experiencing a downturn in the morning session, which shifted the momentum in favor of India. Opener Zak Crawley managed to score 73 runs, while Ben Foakes and Tom Hartley contributed resilient 36s lower down the batting order. However, England eventually succumbed, being bowled out for 292 during the second session on the fourth day of the match.
The left-arm spinner, Axar Patel, was responsible for dismissing Rehan Ahmed, who had taken on the role of England's nighhawk, after a quick 23-run contribution. Ashwin then disrupted England's batting lineup, dismissing Ollie Pope and Joe Root in consecutive overs. Pope managed to score 23 runs before edging a delivery from Ashwin to Rohit Sharma at slip, while Root, nursing a finger injury, was caught attempting a big shot off Ashwin and ended up offering a top-edge to Patel at backward point.
While individual sessions may not determine the outcome of a Test match, the intensity of the first session provided a strong indication of the match's direction, as India made significant progress by taking five English wickets. Crawley showcased aggressive batting, and Jonny Bairstow (26) also appeared settled before both departed in successive overs just before lunch. England's chances were further diminished when Ben Stokes was run out for 11 runs. The third Test in Rajkot is scheduled to commence on February 15.
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