India's chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 final have taken a hit following their embarrassing 0-2 series whitewash against South Africa at home.
South Africa bulldoze India in 2nd Test to sweep series 2-0
The 408-run defeat in the second Test in Guwahati on November 26, which stands as India's biggest-ever defeat by runs in the format, caused them to slip to fifth place in the WTC 2025-27 standings. Having previously drawn their series against England earlier this year, India now sit below Pakistan, with their Percentage of Points (PCT) dropping to 48.15. So far in the current WTC cycle, India have played nine Test matches, recording four wins, four losses, and one draw.
Can India qualify for WTC 2025-27 final?
Their path to the final will now depend heavily on their upcoming fixtures, a two-match series in Sri Lanka in August next year, followed by a rubber against New Zealand scheduled for October-November. Conversely, South Africa's first Test series victory in India in 25 years has strengthened their position. The defending WTC champions currently occupy the second spot in the standings, right behind leaders Australia. They hold 36 points from four Tests, and their PCT improved substantially from 66.67 to 75.
Know all scenarios here:
The race for the 2027 WTC final is still open, though not all teams have begun their campaigns. New Zealand are yet to play a single series in the current cycle, while Sri Lanka and Pakistan have completed one series each. The top two teams at the end of the qualification phase will earn a spot in the final. Despite their recent setback, India still have nine Test matches remaining in the 2025-27 cycle. Based on the points structure, winning all nine remaining matches would see India achieve a 74.1% win percentage.