The BCCI is contemplating to host the World Test Championship (WTC) final of the 2025-2027 cycle in India, and a proposal in this regard will be formalised at a later date. England has hosted both the WTC title clashes till now in 2021 and 2023 at Hampshire and at the Oval respectively. The PTI has learned that discussions in this regard was held during the ICC's chief executives committee in Zimbabwe last month, where the BCCI was represented by IPL chairman Arun Dhumal. Jay Shah, the former BCCI secretary, is the current ICC Chairman after taking over from Greg Barclay in December 2024. "If India reaches the next WTC final, then it will be a great spectacle for the fans. Even otherwise (if India does not feature in the final), a match involving two other top teams will have a lot of takers," a source close to the development indicated. Moreover, India playing host to the marquee ICC Test event's final during Shah's tenure will be a feather on his career. The deteriorated bilate
India batsman Rohit Sharma, who became the first player to score a century in each innings of his maiden Test as opener, on Monday jumped to a career-best 17th position in the ICC Test Player Rankings. Rohit, who now has five centuries from 28 Tests, gained a whopping 36 slots after his knocks of 176 and 127 in the first Test against South Africa in Visakhapatnam helped India win by 203 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The other opener Mayank Agarwal has also attained a career-best 25th position after his first innings double-century lifted him 38 places. Captain Virat Kohli, who retained his second spot, has dropped below the 900-point mark for the first time since January 2018. He is now on 899 points, 38 behind top-ranked Steve Smith of Australia. Among the bowlers, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has made a comeback to the top 10 after his match haul of eight wickets, which included figures of seven for 145 in the first innings. The formerly top-ranked bowle
India ensured the number one spot on the ICC Test Team Rankings and a prize of $1 million after their victory in the third Test at Johannesburg against South Africa