ICC Test Championship: How new points system may impede India's chances

In the new points system, New Zealand is likely to be in an advantageous position as it can attain a maximum of 420 points (70 pc) if it clean sweeps the home series against West Indies and Pakistan

The International Cricket Council has accepted the proposed changes in World Test Championship points table on November 19. In the times when cricket has been widely affected by Covid-19, ICC’s cricket committee has proposed to consider the percentage of points earned from the contested matches in deciding the finalists of the inaugural edition of World Test Championship. The final of ICC World Test Championship will be played at the Lords' cricket ground in London on June 1, 2021.

Check ICC Test championship latest news and points table here

Original format of ICC World Test Championship
 
According to the ICC Test Championship, each of the nine top-ranked sides will play six series over two years with each series counting for a maximum of 120 points, irrespective of the number of matches in the series. The England vs Australia Ashes test at Edgbaston on August 1, 2019, marked the inaugural match of the event.
 
India will not play against Pakistan because each team has picked six opponents by mutual agreement, within the existing framework of the members rights agreements. The top two teams on the ICC World test championship points table will play the final at Lord's on June, 2021.

 How new proposed points system may impede India’s chances

Ahead of the WTC final in June next year, India has to play a four-match series against Australia while it will host England for a five-game rubber. With the return of Steve Smith and David Warner in the Australian squad, it won’t be easy for the Indian cricket team to repeat the success of previous series against Australia in 2018-19. Also, the absence of Virat Kohli in the last three matches would make the tasks difficult for Team India.

CHECK IND vs AUS latest news updates here
 

India cricket captain Virat Kohli plays a shot on the first day of the inaugural day-night Test match in the country, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday. Photo: PTI

Scenarios for Team India
 
Scenario 1
 
According to the new proposal, If India cricket team loses all four Tests against Australia and win all five against England, it'll get to 480 points and 66.67 per cent.
 
Scenario 2
 
If India wins all five against England and loses 3-1 to Australia, it'll have 510 points and 70.83 per cent (marginally ahead of New Zealand's maximum possible score).
 
Scenario 3
 
If India wins 5-0 against England and loses 2-0 to Australia, it'll have 500 points and 69.44 per cent. So even two draws in Australia will not be enough for India if New Zealand sweeps 240 points at home."
 
New Zealand likely to be one of the two WTC finalists
 
In the new points system, New Zealand is likely to be in an advantageous position given it has to play two-test series in home conditions. New Zealand can attain a maximum of 420 points (70 per cent) if it clean sweeps the home series against West Indies and Pakistan.
 

New Zealand's Trent Boult, second from right, celebrates the dismissal of India's Mayank Agarwal for 34 during the first cricket test between India and New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo: AP | PTI

WTC finalists’ prediction
 
India has played four series so far and is currently at the top with 360 points, followed by Australia (296) and England (292). With Indian cricket team scheduled to play four Tests in Australia and then host England for five Tests, the results of the two series will decide the finalists of the inaugural WTC.
 
ICC World Test Championship’s points table

Position	Teams	Series Played	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Tied	PCT	Series Won	RpW ratio*	Total Points
1	India	4	9	7	0	2	0	0.75	3	2.011	360
2	Australia	3	10	7	1	2	0	0.822	2	1.604	296
3	England	4	15	8	3	4	0	0.608	3	1.223	292
4	New Zealand	3	7	3	0	4	0	0.5	0	0.883	180
5	Pakistan	4	8	2	3	3	0	0.395	1	0.853	166
6	Sri Lanka	2	4	1	1	2	0	0.333	0	0.589	80
7	West Indies	2	5	1	0	4	0	0.167	0	0.527	40
8	South Africa	1	7	1	0	6	0	0.125	0	0.521	30
9	Bangladesh	1	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0.304	0

ICC World Test Championship schedule

Matches	Date	Venue
New Zealand vs West Indies	Dec 3-7	Seddon Park, Hamilton
New Zealand vs West Indies	Dec 11-15	Basin Reserve, Wellington
Australia vs India	Dec 17-21	Adelaide Oval
New Zealand vs Pakistan	Dec 26-30	Bay Over, Tauranga
Australia vs India	Dec 26-30	Melbourne Cricket Ground
South Africa vs Sri Lanka	Dec 26-30	Supersport Park, Centurion
New Zealand vs Pakistan	Jan 3-7	Hagley Oval, Christchurch
South Africa vs Sri Lanka	Jan 3-7	New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Australia vs India	Jan 7-11	Sydney Cricket Stadium
Australia vs India	Jan 15-19	Brisbane Cricket Ground