ICC Test Championship: New points system helps Aus topple India as No. 1

Australian cricket team has pushed India to the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table after the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday effected changes to the WTC rules. The changes in ICC WTC points system has be made as several bilateral series could not be played due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Changes to the rules were made to determine the nine teams' standings on the points table.

ICC World Test Championship new rules

Although India (360 points) still has 64 more points than Australia (296) and more series wins, the Aussies have gone atop after the ICC Board approved that the matches played and the matches lost won't be treated as drawn and points would be split. Australia now has 0.822 percentage points (82.2 per cent), which propelled them to the No.1 spot, while India has 0.750 (75 per cent).
 

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

The changes were recommended by the Anil Kumble-headed ICC Cricket Committee.

England is at the third position with 0.608 percentage points (60.8 per cent), New Zealand fourth with 0.500 (50 per cent), and Pakistan fifth with 0.395 (39.5 per cent).

ICC WTC points table

Ranking	Teams	Series Played	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Tied	PCT (%)	Series Won	RpW ratio*	Total Points
1	Australia	3	10	7	1	2	0	82.2	2	1.604	296
2	India	4	9	7	0	2	0	75	3	2.011	360
3	England	4	15	8	3	4	0	60.8	3	1.223	292
4	New Zealand	3	7	3	0	4	0	50	0	0.883	180
5	Pakistan	4	8	2	3	3	0	39.5	1	0.853	166
6	Sri Lanka	2	4	1	1	2	0	33.3	0	0.589	80
7	West Indies	2	5	1	0	4	0	16.7	0	0.527	40
8	South Africa	1	7	1	0	6	0	12.5	0	0.521	30
9	Bangladesh	1	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0.304	0
Top two team will qualify for final

as of November 20, 2020

India's schedule for ICC World Test championship

India will lock horns with Australia in a four-match Test series in Australia starting December 17 in Adelaide. The result of this series could change the league standings.
 

Matches	Date	Time (IST)	Venue
First Test (D/N)	Dec 17-21	9:30 AM	Adelaide Oval
Second Test	Dec 26-30	5:00 PM	Melbourne Cricket Ground
Third Test	Jan 7-11	5:00 PM	Sydney Cricket Ground
Fourth Test	Jan 15-19	5:30 PM	The Gabba, Brisbane

"The unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19 means, to date, just under half of the WTC matches have been played, with that estimated to rise to more than 85 per cent by the end of the competition window. Current regulations dictate that matches not completed shall be treated as a draw with points split. The Cricket Committee considered maintaining that status quo or determining the final WTC League standings from matches played," said an ICC press statement on Thursday.

"The Cricket Committee recommended the latter option, which was approved by the Chief Executives Committee and ratified by the Board, meaning teams will be ranked in order of percentage of points earned," it said.