Aussie pacer and fit-again Scott Boland is ready to give a good headache to the team management as he prepares for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. The one-off contest will start on June 11 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground as Australia look to defend their title. However, they could have a selection headache in the form of Boland who is fit and Josh Hazlewood struggling with a shoulder issue. According to Boland, he is ready to put pressure on the team management and force his way back into the team.<h2>Boland ready to put pressure on Aussie management</h2>"I'm really happy with how my body's feeling at the moment," Boland said ahead of the WTC final. "Pain-free for probably the first time in about 18 months. So it's feeling really good.&nbsp;"My goal for probably the last two months was just get myself and my body in the position where I can put my hand up and be ready to go if it goes my way. But now I feel like I'm in a really good spot that I can bowl how I want to bowl. It's pulling up really well, so that's all I can do, and I just want to make their decision as hard as possible."&nbsp;Josh Hazlewood on the other hand has been regular in the Test set-up for Australia but is likely to face competition from Boland. The Victoria speedster is feeling free from all the issues he had in the last 18 months and looks to insert his way back into the squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hazlewood on the other hand, despite injury worries helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) title for the first time.&nbsp;With him playing in India a week before the WTC final recent injury struggles could force Aussie management to include Boland in the Playing XI for the coveted tournament’s one-off match.

Aussie pacer and fit-again Scott Boland is ready to give a good headache to the team management as he prepares for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.

Aussie pacer and fit-again Scott Boland is ready to give a good headache to the team management as he prepares for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. The one-off contest will start on June 11 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground as Australia look to defend their title. However, they could have a selection headache in the form of Boland who is fit and Josh Hazlewood struggling with a shoulder issue. According to Boland, he is ready to put pressure on the team management and force his way back into the team. Boland ready to put pressure on Aussie management "I'm really happy with how my body's feeling at the moment," Boland said ahead of the WTC final. "Pain-free for probably the first time in about 18 months. So it's feeling really good. "My goal for probably the last two months was just get myself and my body in the position where I can put my hand up and be ready to go if it goes my way. But now I feel like I'm in a really good spot that I can bowl how I want to bowl. It's pulling up really well, so that's all I can do, and I just want to make their decision as hard as possible." Josh Hazlewood on the other hand has been regular in the Test set-up for Australia but is likely to face competition from Boland. The Victoria speedster is feeling free from all the issues he had in the last 18 months and looks to insert his way back into the squad. Hazlewood on the other hand, despite injury worries helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) title for the first time. With him playing in India a week before the WTC final recent injury struggles could force Aussie management to include Boland in the Playing XI for the coveted tournament’s one-off match.

Aussie pacer and fit-again Scott Boland is ready to give a good headache to the team management as he prepares for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa.

WTC Final: Fit-again Scott Boland hunts for place in Playing XI ahead of Josh Hazlewood, says 'want to make...'

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood has never lost a final match in his career dating back to U19 days and the same continued on June 3 when RCB lifted its maiden IPL trophy. The Bengaluru-based franchise beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) on June 3 in IPL 2025 Final and Hazlewood did play a huge part in the campaign - taking 22 wickets to finish third on the most wickets table.Also Watch - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/video-kohlis-wholesome-moment-with-shreyas-iyer-and-his-father-after-winning-maiden-ipl-trophy-1749115318931">Kohli's WHOLESOME moment with Shreyas Iyer and his father after winning maiden IPL trophy</a>Before the IPL 2025 win, Hazlewood has won eight more final across Test, ODI and T20 formats. Here's the list of finals won by Hazlewood:<ul><li>2010 U19 World Cup Final for Australia vs Pakistan – Player of the Match with 4/30</li><li>2012 CLT20 Final with Sydney Sixers vs Highveld Lions</li><li>2015 ODI World Cup Final with Australia vs New Zealand</li><li>2020 Big Bash League Final with Sydney Sixers (not part of playing XI)</li><li>2021 IPL Final with CSK vs KKR</li><li>2021 T20 World Cup Final with Australia s New Zealand</li><li>2023 ODI World Cup Final with Australia vs India</li><li>2023 WTC Final with Australia vs India</li><li>2025 IPL Final with RCB vs PBKS</li></ul>Hazlewood will next be seen in World Test Championship (WTC) Final for Australia against South Africa in the UK. The WTC Final 2025 starts June 11 and Australia would be hoping to retain their trophy against South Africa. They had won last time by beating India.Hazlewood is an integral part of Australia's pace trio which also includes Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Along with spinner Nathan Lyon, the four bowlers make one of the bowling attacks in the world.In current WTC cycle of 2023-25 which will culminate with the final, Hazlewood has taken 57 wickets in 13 Tests at an economy of 3.12 and an average of 19.68. He also has taken three five-wicket hauls with a best of 5/31.&nbsp;

Hazlewood will next be seen in World Test Championship (WTC) Final for Australia against South Africa in the UK. The WTC Final 2025 starts June 11 and Australia would be hoping to retain their trophy against South Africa. They had won last time by beating India.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood has never lost a final match in his career dating back to U19 days and the same continued on June 3 when RCB lifted its maiden IPL trophy. The Bengaluru-based franchise beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) on June 3 in IPL 2025 Final and Hazlewood did play a huge part in the campaign - taking 22 wickets to finish third on the most wickets table. Also Watch - Kohli's WHOLESOME moment with Shreyas Iyer and his father after winning maiden IPL trophy Before the IPL 2025 win, Hazlewood has won eight more final across Test, ODI and T20 formats. Here's the list of finals won by Hazlewood: 2010 U19 World Cup Final for Australia vs Pakistan – Player of the Match with 4/30 2012 CLT20 Final with Sydney Sixers vs Highveld Lions 2015 ODI World Cup Final with Australia vs New Zealand 2020 Big Bash League Final with Sydney Sixers (not part of playing XI) 2021 IPL Final with CSK vs KKR 2021 T20 World Cup Final with Australia s New Zealand 2023 ODI World Cup Final with Australia vs India 2023 WTC Final with Australia vs India 2025 IPL Final with RCB vs PBKS Hazlewood will next be seen in World Test Championship (WTC) Final for Australia against South Africa in the UK. The WTC Final 2025 starts June 11 and Australia would be hoping to retain their trophy against South Africa. They had won last time by beating India. Hazlewood is an integral part of Australia's pace trio which also includes Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Along with spinner Nathan Lyon, the four bowlers make one of the bowling attacks in the world. In current WTC cycle of 2023-25 which will culminate with the final, Hazlewood has taken 57 wickets in 13 Tests at an economy of 3.12 and an average of 19.68. He also has taken three five-wicket hauls with a best of 5/31.

Hazlewood will next be seen in World Test Championship (WTC) Final for Australia against South Africa in the UK. The WTC Final 2025 starts June 11 and Australia would be hoping to retain their trophy against South Africa. They had won last time by beating India.

9 out of 9: Hazlewood continues final winning streak with RCB's maiden IPL title. Next stop - WTC 2025 Final vs South Africa

Test batting great Steve Smith felt at home in Australia’s first training session in the UK ahead of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa. In Beckenham on Wednesday (June 4), Smith batted for long spells alongside Marnus Labuschagne and openers (Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas), shrugging off travel rustiness and looked in complete control, with his team captain Pat Cummins also confirming his batting position for the summit clash.&nbsp;Smith loves playing in England, where he averages 55 in 22 Tests, scoring over 2200 runs, with his best being 215. Back to the bay for his second WTC Final scheduled to start on June 11 at Lord’s in London, Smith appeared sharp and crisp in his approach during the team’s first net session. However, not to everyone's surprise, left-arm quick Mitchell Starc impressed among all pacers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-bcci-has-no-role-to-play-indian-cricket-board-distance-itself-from-rcb-victory-parade-stampede-that-killed-11-pbks-bengaluru-1749097982856">‘BCCI has no role to play…,’ Indian Cricket Board distance itself from RCB’s IPL victory parade stampede that killed 11</a> &nbsp;While Smith did not feature in just concluded IPL 2025, Starc spearheaded Delhi Capitals’ pace attack but pulled out after the tournament resumed following a week’s break. &nbsp;Speaking to ICC Digital on the sidelines of the training session, Smith said, “I am excited to be back in the UK (United Kingdom) for another World Test Championship Final. It is great to be here, and I love playing cricket in England. It’s a little bit fresh today, and there is a little bit of wind around, but it’s nice to start our preparation and get a bit of rhythm, hit quite a few balls, and we are looking forward to Lord’s now.”<h2>Pat locks Smith’s batting position &nbsp;</h2>Ahead of the one-off marquee Test between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s, Aussie skipper Cummins declared Smith’s batting position amid talks around shuffling the top order. Though Pat stayed mum on who opens alongside Khawaja for the title game, he confirmed that Smith retains his number four spot in the Test side.&nbsp; &nbsp;“I can confirm that Smudge will be batting at four. Everyone else, I’m not willing to, but I can confirm Steve Smith will be number four,” Cummins said&nbsp;on The Grade Cricketer&nbsp;on&nbsp;Prime Video Australia, as quoted by the ICC. &nbsp;Here are the two squads for the WTC Final 2025 – &nbsp;South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy &nbsp;Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett

WTC 2025 Final: Smith feels at home in first training session in UK as Cummins confirms his batting position

Test batting great Steve Smith felt at home in Australia’s first training session in the UK ahead of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa. In Beckenham on Wednesday (June 4), Smith batted for long spells alongside Marnus Labuschagne and openers (Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas), shrugging off travel rustiness and looked in complete control, with his team captain Pat Cummins also confirming his batting position for the summit clash. Smith loves playing in England, where he averages 55 in 22 Tests, scoring over 2200 runs, with his best being 215. Back to the bay for his second WTC Final scheduled to start on June 11 at Lord’s in London, Smith appeared sharp and crisp in his approach during the team’s first net session. However, not to everyone's surprise, left-arm quick Mitchell Starc impressed among all pacers. Also read | ‘BCCI has no role to play…,’ Indian Cricket Board distance itself from RCB’s IPL victory parade stampede that killed 11 While Smith did not feature in just concluded IPL 2025, Starc spearheaded Delhi Capitals’ pace attack but pulled out after the tournament resumed following a week’s break. Speaking to ICC Digital on the sidelines of the training session, Smith said, “I am excited to be back in the UK (United Kingdom) for another World Test Championship Final. It is great to be here, and I love playing cricket in England. It’s a little bit fresh today, and there is a little bit of wind around, but it’s nice to start our preparation and get a bit of rhythm, hit quite a few balls, and we are looking forward to Lord’s now.” Pat locks Smith’s batting position Ahead of the one-off marquee Test between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s, Aussie skipper Cummins declared Smith’s batting position amid talks around shuffling the top order. Though Pat stayed mum on who opens alongside Khawaja for the title game, he confirmed that Smith retains his number four spot in the Test side. “I can confirm that Smudge will be batting at four. Everyone else, I’m not willing to, but I can confirm Steve Smith will be number four,” Cummins said on The Grade Cricketer on Prime Video Australia, as quoted by the ICC. Here are the two squads for the WTC Final 2025 – South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett

Smith loves playing in England, where he averages 55 in 22 Tests, scoring over 2200 runs, with his best being 215.&nbsp;

Australia have found themselves in a bit of a selection headache ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/world-test-championship">World Test Championship</a> (WTC) final against South Africa at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lords">Lord’s</a> Stadium. The return of all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cameron-green">Cameron Green</a> back in form with the bat has sparked serious discussions about reshuffling the batting line-up for the Baggy Greens.&nbsp;Green has been in superb touch during his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/county-cricket">county</a> stint with Gloucestershire, scoring three centuries in eight innings while batting at No. 5. Also, in March 2024, he played a match-winning knock of an unbeaten 174 against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve. While he hasn’t played a Test match since the same New Zealand series, his red-ball form, especially in the county cricket has made him hard to look away from.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-eng-vs-ind-2025-england-tour-preparation-would-help-shubman-gill-embrace-test-captaincy-and-redefine-his-batting-cheteshwar-pujara-1748260786659">England tour preparation would help Gill embrace Test captaincy and redefine his batting: Pujara</a>&nbsp;However, Green’s back surgery has ruled him out from bowling, and that affects Australia’s squad balance. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed Green could return as a specialist batter, but that would force some changes in the top and middle order.&nbsp;“If you require the all-rounder in the conditions, that would then lend itself to a decision around the top order, And that’s not to dismiss the fact that Beau Webster can be a bat only as well.” McDonald was quoted saying to SEN Radio.&nbsp;Now let us understand the two different batting scenarios of Australia's batting order.&nbsp;A) Possible top 6 with Green&nbsp;1. Usman Khawaja2. Travis Head3. Cameron Green (at no.3)4. Marnus Labuschagne5. Steve Smith&nbsp;6. Josh Inglis&nbsp;B) Possible top 6 without Green&nbsp;1. Usman Khawaja2. Sam Konstas or Beau Webster (in case Green is left out)3. Marnus Labuschagne4. Steve Smith5. Travis Head6. Josh Inglis&nbsp;As Head coach McDonald summed it up: “There’s an XI on a board, but it’s got some dashes with multiple names in different positions.”&nbsp;The conditions at Lord’s will likely decide which way the Baggy Greens would go. Green adds quality with the bat, but without his bowling, the team may need to find balance elsewhere.

Green has been in superb touch during his county stint with Gloucestershire, scoring three centuries in eight innings while batting at No. 5.

Australia have found themselves in a bit of a selection headache ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s Stadium. The return of all-rounder Cameron Green back in form with the bat has sparked serious discussions about reshuffling the batting line-up for the Baggy Greens. Green has been in superb touch during his county stint with Gloucestershire, scoring three centuries in eight innings while batting at No. 5. Also, in March 2024, he played a match-winning knock of an unbeaten 174 against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve. While he hasn’t played a Test match since the same New Zealand series, his red-ball form, especially in the county cricket has made him hard to look away from. Also Read | England tour preparation would help Gill embrace Test captaincy and redefine his batting: Pujara However, Green’s back surgery has ruled him out from bowling, and that affects Australia’s squad balance. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed Green could return as a specialist batter, but that would force some changes in the top and middle order. “If you require the all-rounder in the conditions, that would then lend itself to a decision around the top order, And that’s not to dismiss the fact that Beau Webster can be a bat only as well.” McDonald was quoted saying to SEN Radio. Now let us understand the two different batting scenarios of Australia's batting order. A) Possible top 6 with Green 1. Usman Khawaja 2. Travis Head 3. Cameron Green (at no.3) 4. Marnus Labuschagne 5. Steve Smith 6. Josh Inglis B) Possible top 6 without Green 1. Usman Khawaja 2. Sam Konstas or Beau Webster (in case Green is left out) 3. Marnus Labuschagne 4. Steve Smith 5. Travis Head 6. Josh Inglis As Head coach McDonald summed it up: “There’s an XI on a board, but it’s got some dashes with multiple names in different positions.” The conditions at Lord’s will likely decide which way the Baggy Greens would go. Green adds quality with the bat, but without his bowling, the team may need to find balance elsewhere.

Green has been in superb touch during his county stint with Gloucestershire, scoring three centuries in eight innings while batting at No. 5

WTC Final 2025: How will Cameron Green's return shake up Australia's middle-order batting?

Ace Australian quick <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-starc" rel="dofollow">Mitchell Starc</a> has revealed what led to his absence from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a>. Starc was among the Aussie pace trio, including regular captain Pat Cummins and seasoned seamer Josh Hazlewood, who did not feature in the first showpiece event of the year. While Cummins and Hazlewood missed the Champions Trophy due to respective injuries, Starc admitted pain in his ankle (he felt during Sri Lanka Tests) and &lsquo;personal views&rsquo; forced him to pull out of contention.
Speaking for the first time since opting out of the Champions Trophy squad, Starc said, "There's a few different reasons, some personal views, and had a bit of ankle pain through the Test series [against Sri Lanka]."&nbsp;
"So just get that one right, obviously, we've got the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that.
"There's some IPL cricket as well, but my main one top of my mind is that Test final, so get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then ready to go for the Test final,&rdquo; the left-arm quick said while chatting on Willow Talk podcast.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/jos-buttler-drops-hint-on-captaincy-future-after-afghanistan-shocker-in-champions-trophy-says-all-possibilities-to-be-considered-8760313" rel="dofollow">Jos Buttler admits to fear losing England&rsquo;s captaincy after Afghanistan shocker</a>
While he did not elaborate on his (personal) reasons, Starc&rsquo;s absence makes sense for his longevity and fitness.&nbsp;
The ageing left-arm quick was part of the five Tests at home against India, throwing rockets throughout the series while playing the two away Tests against Sri Lanka. Though Cricket Australia (CA) named him in the 15-man squad for the eight-team tournament in Pakistan, Starc chose to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-trophy-2025-mitchell-starc-pulls-out-in-another-major-blow-for-australia-steve-smith-to-lead-8712498" rel="dofollow">skip it to reclaim full fitness for the upcoming IPL and the WTC Final</a>.
Besides, had he been picked and playing, Starc would have been travelling to a new city for Australia&rsquo;s scheduled group stage matches and even to Dubai (to face India) should they qualify for the semis.&nbsp;
<h2>Changes in the WTC model? Starc says yes!</h2>
Also, defending the WTC title is something Starc has his eyes on, and even though they have already tasted success the last time and made it to the finals this year, the ace quick feels it (WTC model) needs some tinkering.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Australia missed out on making it to the finals the first time due to slow over-rate penalties, but Starc feels it gained significance when the Aussies qualified for the second one.&nbsp;
"The first one being a new concept, I remember definitely, I was like, what's this all about? It doesn't mean much," he said. "We're trying to win every Test match, every Test series. And then we got close to it, and we missed out, and watching it on TV; we all wanted to be a part of it. So that quickly changed.
"And then the second cycle, we made the final and, obviously, playing India on neutral territory, that was a big occasion for both teams, managed to get the chocolates that time. And now we find ourselves sitting [with] a chance to win it for the second time on the trot.
"I think the format needs some tinkering still. It's a very hard one to fix, I guess when you only play six series that contribute to the point system. You get the same points for home and away wins, it's a percentage-based model. So it's an imperfect system. But I think two really good teams will be facing off in the final,&rdquo; he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Starc was part of the five Tests at home against India, throwing rockets throughout the series while playing the two away Tests against Sri Lanka.

Ace Australian quick Mitchell Starc has revealed what led to his absence from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Starc was among the Aussie pace trio, including regular captain Pat Cummins and seasoned seamer Josh Hazlewood, who did not feature in the first showpiece event of the year. While Cummins and Hazlewood missed the Champions Trophy due to respective injuries, Starc admitted pain in his ankle (he felt during Sri Lanka Tests) and ‘personal views’ forced him to pull out of contention. Speaking for the first time since opting out of the Champions Trophy squad, Starc said, "There's a few different reasons, some personal views, and had a bit of ankle pain through the Test series [against Sri Lanka]." "So just get that one right, obviously, we've got the Test final coming up and a West Indies tour after that. "There's some IPL cricket as well, but my main one top of my mind is that Test final, so get my body right, play some cricket in the next couple of months and then ready to go for the Test final,” the left-arm quick said while chatting on Willow Talk podcast. Also read | Jos Buttler admits to fear losing England’s captaincy after Afghanistan shocker While he did not elaborate on his (personal) reasons, Starc’s absence makes sense for his longevity and fitness. The ageing left-arm quick was part of the five Tests at home against India, throwing rockets throughout the series while playing the two away Tests against Sri Lanka. Though Cricket Australia (CA) named him in the 15-man squad for the eight-team tournament in Pakistan, Starc chose to skip it to reclaim full fitness for the upcoming IPL and the WTC Final. Besides, had he been picked and playing, Starc would have been travelling to a new city for Australia’s scheduled group stage matches and even to Dubai (to face India) should they qualify for the semis. Changes in the WTC model? Starc says yes! Also, defending the WTC title is something Starc has his eyes on, and even though they have already tasted success the last time and made it to the finals this year, the ace quick feels it (WTC model) needs some tinkering. Meanwhile, Australia missed out on making it to the finals the first time due to slow over-rate penalties, but Starc feels it gained significance when the Aussies qualified for the second one. "The first one being a new concept, I remember definitely, I was like, what's this all about? It doesn't mean much," he said. "We're trying to win every Test match, every Test series. And then we got close to it, and we missed out, and watching it on TV; we all wanted to be a part of it. So that quickly changed. "And then the second cycle, we made the final and, obviously, playing India on neutral territory, that was a big occasion for both teams, managed to get the chocolates that time. And now we find ourselves sitting [with] a chance to win it for the second time on the trot. "I think the format needs some tinkering still. It's a very hard one to fix, I guess when you only play six series that contribute to the point system. You get the same points for home and away wins, it's a percentage-based model. So it's an imperfect system. But I think two really good teams will be facing off in the final,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Starc reveals what led to his absence from Australia’s Champions Trophy squad

Australia has reclaimed the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) for the first time in ten years after beating India in the decisive fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) by six wickets on Sunday (Jan 5). Beau Webster and Travis Head completed the run chase inside the second session on day three to hand the hosts their first series win over India since 2014/15.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5j3gphy-p7dukovi-n59om0rj">
Beau Webster finishes it off and Australia claims the Border-Gavaskar Trophy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayOfTheDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayOfTheDay</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nrmainsurance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nrmainsurance</a> <a href="https://t.co/fl5tmIMPPd">pic.twitter.com/fl5tmIMPPd</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875746279625462180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
While India won the first Test in Perth, they lost the next in Adelaide by ten wickets before Australia clinched the last two (the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and Sydney&rsquo;s New Year&rsquo;s Test) to win back the BGT.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bgt-202425-rohit-should-play-in-ranji-trophy-says-sunil-gavaskar-as-india-captain-struggles-with-bat-8591953" rel="dofollow">BGT 2024/25: 'Rohit should play in Ranji Trophy,' says Sunil Gavaskar as India captain struggles with bat</a>
India missed their stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, on day three as they failed to defend 162 on a spicy SCG surface. Bumrah was out with a back spasm, playing no role since completing eight overs on the second day before heading for a medical checkup. Though he batted in India&rsquo;s second innings, Virat Kohli, who wore the captain&rsquo;s hat in his absence, used just four bowlers, mainly the two pacers, in the fourth innings.
For his unparalleled performance in this series, where he returned with 32 wickets &ndash; the most by an Indian bowler in a single edition Down Under, Bumrah won the Player of the Series award.
However, with Australia winning the BGT 2024-25, they sealed the WTC Final 2025 qualification and will face South Africa in the summit clash at the Lord&rsquo;s in June (11-15).
<h2>Australia bag SCG Test</h2>
The hosts entered the final match of the series with a stunning 185-run win in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic MCG. Beaming confidently, Australia made just one change to their winning XI, replacing underfire Mitchell Marsh with debutant Beau Webster.&nbsp;
On the other hand, India made some shocking calls, with Shubman Gill roped in place of regular captain Rohit Sharma, who &lsquo;opted out&rsquo; due to poor form, while Prasidh Krishna replaced injured Akash Deep. That move, however, did no good to India, as Gill failed to cross the 20-run mark across both innings, with others continuing their horror run with the bat.
In Rohit&rsquo;s absence, the entire onus fell on star batter Kohli, who collected just 23 runs (17, 6) in two outings, ending the series with 190 runs in nine innings, averaging 23.75.
Meanwhile, India had their chances in the second innings when Rishabh Pant was at the crease, but the wickets fell like the pack of cards following his dismissal on 61 off 33 balls. Scott Boland, roped in as injured Josh Hazlewood&rsquo;s replacement, took ten wickets across two innings, including six for 45 in the second. He won the Player of the Match award for his performance.
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This one was for Scott Boland's fifth! And it didn't take long for him to get his sixth either. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilestoneMoment?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MilestoneMoment</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nrmainsurance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nrmainsurance</a> <a href="https://t.co/3NkgSYmOaN">pic.twitter.com/3NkgSYmOaN</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875698026884251975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
Bumrah&rsquo;s absence in the second innings cost India big time, as despite picking three wickets inside the first session, the visitors failed to put Australia under pressure and conceded the Test, the series and the golden chance to qualify for their third-straight WTC Final.&nbsp;

Sports, cricket: Australia beat India by six wickets in the final Test at the SCG to claim the BGT. With this win, they also qualified for the WTC Final 2025. 

Australia has reclaimed the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) for the first time in ten years after beating India in the decisive fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) by six wickets on Sunday (Jan 5). Beau Webster and Travis Head completed the run chase inside the second session on day three to hand the hosts their first series win over India since 2014/15. Beau Webster finishes it off and Australia claims the Border-Gavaskar Trophy! #AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/fl5tmIMPPd — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2025 While India won the first Test in Perth, they lost the next in Adelaide by ten wickets before Australia clinched the last two (the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and Sydney’s New Year’s Test) to win back the BGT. Also read | BGT 2024/25: 'Rohit should play in Ranji Trophy,' says Sunil Gavaskar as India captain struggles with bat India missed their stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, on day three as they failed to defend 162 on a spicy SCG surface. Bumrah was out with a back spasm, playing no role since completing eight overs on the second day before heading for a medical checkup. Though he batted in India’s second innings, Virat Kohli, who wore the captain’s hat in his absence, used just four bowlers, mainly the two pacers, in the fourth innings. For his unparalleled performance in this series, where he returned with 32 wickets – the most by an Indian bowler in a single edition Down Under, Bumrah won the Player of the Series award. However, with Australia winning the BGT 2024-25, they sealed the WTC Final 2025 qualification and will face South Africa in the summit clash at the Lord’s in June (11-15). Australia bag SCG Test The hosts entered the final match of the series with a stunning 185-run win in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic MCG. Beaming confidently, Australia made just one change to their winning XI, replacing underfire Mitchell Marsh with debutant Beau Webster. On the other hand, India made some shocking calls, with Shubman Gill roped in place of regular captain Rohit Sharma, who ‘opted out’ due to poor form, while Prasidh Krishna replaced injured Akash Deep. That move, however, did no good to India, as Gill failed to cross the 20-run mark across both innings, with others continuing their horror run with the bat. In Rohit’s absence, the entire onus fell on star batter Kohli, who collected just 23 runs (17, 6) in two outings, ending the series with 190 runs in nine innings, averaging 23.75. Meanwhile, India had their chances in the second innings when Rishabh Pant was at the crease, but the wickets fell like the pack of cards following his dismissal on 61 off 33 balls. Scott Boland, roped in as injured Josh Hazlewood’s replacement, took ten wickets across two innings, including six for 45 in the second. He won the Player of the Match award for his performance. This one was for Scott Boland's fifth! And it didn't take long for him to get his sixth either. #AUSvIND | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/3NkgSYmOaN — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2025 Bumrah’s absence in the second innings cost India big time, as despite picking three wickets inside the first session, the visitors failed to put Australia under pressure and conceded the Test, the series and the golden chance to qualify for their third-straight WTC Final.

BGT - Australia qualify for WTC Final 2025 after beating India at SCG

South African coach Shukri Conrad brushed off criticism about the uneven scheduling of the World Test Championship after his team qualified for the final.<o:p></o:p>
South Africa beat Pakistan in a dramatic two-wicket win in Centurion on Sunday to earn their sixth successive Test win.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-but-because-he-is-the-captain-irfan-pathans-honest-assessment-of-rohit-sharmas-place-in-team-after-mcg-test-debacle-8578745" rel="dofollow">BGT - Irfan Pathan reveals reason behind Rohit Sharma's selection amid form worry</a>
On the average points system used for the championship, the South Africans are guaranteed a place in the final next June, even if they lose their last match, the second Test against Pakistan, starting in Cape Town on Friday.<o:p></o:p>
"People abroad will be shouting that we had an easy draw. Well, I'm not going to apologise for that. We're just thrilled that we can be at Lord's next year," Conrad said after the victory against Pakistan.<o:p></o:p>
Australia's win against India in Melbourne on Monday put them in pole position to join South Africa at Lord's, although they still have to play a fifth Test against India and two matches away against Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p>
South Africa's path to the final illustrated the imbalance in the quantity and quality of the fixtures for the nine teams contesting the World Test Championship (WTC), a fact highlighted by former England captain Michael Vaughan, who called for a revamp of the format.<o:p></o:p>
"At the moment every team plays a wildly different number of games, and that just does not create a balanced outcome or totally fair league table," Vaughan wrote in a column for British daily The Telegraph.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>Different teams, different schedule</h2>
South Africa&rsquo;s programme consisted of just 12 matches, the joint lowest number together with Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p>
England played 22 Tests, and Australia and India, the other members of cricket&rsquo;s 'big three', had 19 fixtures each.<o:p></o:p>
South Africa had six series, all of only two matches. They shared a series against India 1-1 but did not play against Australia or England.<o:p></o:p>
Australia, India, and England, by contrast, played each other in a five-match 'marquee' series.<o:p></o:p>
With no team dominating, they all shed points, affecting their average points standings.<o:p></o:p>
After sharing the honours against India, South Africa effectively forfeited a series in New Zealand because their governing body prioritised a Twenty20 tournament.<o:p></o:p>
Conrad could not select any players contracted by the T20 franchises, which ruled out most of his first-choice players.<o:p></o:p>
Since then, though, South Africa have won away series in the West Indies and Bangladesh and beaten Sri Lanka at home before scraping home against Pakistan.<o:p></o:p>
Conrad admitted that his team were far from their best at Centurion, needing an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 51 between Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada to secure the win.<o:p></o:p>
"The WTC weighs on you, you really want to get to the final, but we need to be a lot more resilient and clinical. We saw what pressure did to some of our players, but they will grow enormously from the experience."<o:p></o:p>
"We are so much better than we showed in this match, but we want this team to never know when they are beaten, and we want the opposition to know that too," said Conrad.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cricket: Conrad admitted that his team were far from their best at Centurion, needing an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 51 between Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada to secure the win.

South African coach Shukri Conrad brushed off criticism about the uneven scheduling of the World Test Championship after his team qualified for the final. South Africa beat Pakistan in a dramatic two-wicket win in Centurion on Sunday to earn their sixth successive Test win. Also read | BGT - Irfan Pathan reveals reason behind Rohit Sharma's selection amid form worry On the average points system used for the championship, the South Africans are guaranteed a place in the final next June, even if they lose their last match, the second Test against Pakistan, starting in Cape Town on Friday. "People abroad will be shouting that we had an easy draw. Well, I'm not going to apologise for that. We're just thrilled that we can be at Lord's next year," Conrad said after the victory against Pakistan. Australia's win against India in Melbourne on Monday put them in pole position to join South Africa at Lord's, although they still have to play a fifth Test against India and two matches away against Sri Lanka. South Africa's path to the final illustrated the imbalance in the quantity and quality of the fixtures for the nine teams contesting the World Test Championship (WTC), a fact highlighted by former England captain Michael Vaughan, who called for a revamp of the format. "At the moment every team plays a wildly different number of games, and that just does not create a balanced outcome or totally fair league table," Vaughan wrote in a column for British daily The Telegraph. Different teams, different schedule South Africa’s programme consisted of just 12 matches, the joint lowest number together with Bangladesh. England played 22 Tests, and Australia and India, the other members of cricket’s 'big three', had 19 fixtures each. South Africa had six series, all of only two matches. They shared a series against India 1-1 but did not play against Australia or England. Australia, India, and England, by contrast, played each other in a five-match 'marquee' series. With no team dominating, they all shed points, affecting their average points standings. After sharing the honours against India, South Africa effectively forfeited a series in New Zealand because their governing body prioritised a Twenty20 tournament. Conrad could not select any players contracted by the T20 franchises, which ruled out most of his first-choice players. Since then, though, South Africa have won away series in the West Indies and Bangladesh and beaten Sri Lanka at home before scraping home against Pakistan. Conrad admitted that his team were far from their best at Centurion, needing an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 51 between Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada to secure the win. "The WTC weighs on you, you really want to get to the final, but we need to be a lot more resilient and clinical. We saw what pressure did to some of our players, but they will grow enormously from the experience." "We are so much better than we showed in this match, but we want this team to never know when they are beaten, and we want the opposition to know that too," said Conrad. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Coach Conrad unapologetic about South Africa's easy route to WTC Final

India, Australia and Sri Lanka - all remain in contention for the one remaining spot in the WTC Final 2025. After South Africa became the first team to qualify directly for the summit clash scheduled for June 2025 at Lord&rsquo;s, Australia strengthened their chances of reaching their second WTC Final on the trot after beating India in the fourth BGT Test at the MCG by 184 runs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5azks8z-2rgj202h-drhmkm1o">
LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/SGbA3R797X">pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X</a>
&mdash; cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1873617184385077618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
Though that win hasn&rsquo;t guaranteed them a spot in the grand finale yet, it squashed India&rsquo;s chances of making it thrice in a row, leaving the final match of the marquee series at the SCG to decide their fate. It remains bleak, but they still have an outside chance of reaching the WTC Final and completing their trophy cabinet with the only ICC title that has eluded them till now.
<h2>How can India still qualify for WTC Final after MCG loss?</h2>
India lost the fourth Test at the MCG&mdash;their second of the series to the hosts, conceding the lead they took after bagging a massive win in the series opener in Perth. With the scoreline reading 2-1 in Australia&rsquo;s favour, they are beaming confidently, entering the fifth Test of the series with an upper hand over India.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-pat-cummins-rates-mcg-test-win-over-india-his-greatest-ever-in-australian-jersey-8577760" rel="dofollow">BGT &ndash; Pat Cummins rates MCG Test win over India his &lsquo;greatest ever&rsquo;</a>
For India to reach the WTC Final 2025, they must not only beat Australia significantly but also hope for other results to fall in place for them. Should India win at the SCG, their PCT (of 55.26) would be enough for them to finish second if Australia achieves no more than just a draw in two Tests in Sri Lanka. In that case, Australia&rsquo;s PCT would read 53.51, while Sri Lanka would finish at 48.72 (with one win).&nbsp;
However, in case of a draw in the final match of the series, India&rsquo;s PCT would drop to 51.75, ruling them out of the WTC Final race; and this is because even if Australia play a draw at the SCG and lose to Sri Lanka 0-2, they would finish on 53.51, while Sri Lanka would climb up to 53.85, piping India and Australia to qualify for their maiden WTC Final.
<h3>Which team stands a better chance?</h3>
Following the win in the MCG Test, Australia is a frontrunner to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 and face South Africa in the clash of titans.&nbsp;
Should they beat India at the SCG Test starting January 3 next year, Australia will qualify regardless of the result against Sri Lanka that follows.&nbsp;
If they win the final Test in Sydney, which sees them bagging the coveted BGT after ten years, and lose the two games in the Island Nation, their PCT would read 57.02 compared to India&rsquo;s 50 and Sri Lanka&rsquo;s 53.85.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket: South Africa qualified for their maiden WTC Final 2025 after beating Pakistan in the first Test in Centurion. India, Australia and Sri Lanka, all remain active in race. 

India, Australia and Sri Lanka - all remain in contention for the one remaining spot in the WTC Final 2025. After South Africa became the first team to qualify directly for the summit clash scheduled for June 2025 at Lord’s, Australia strengthened their chances of reaching their second WTC Final on the trot after beating India in the fourth BGT Test at the MCG by 184 runs. LYON DOES IT! What a remarkable win for Australia! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SGbA3R797X — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024 Though that win hasn’t guaranteed them a spot in the grand finale yet, it squashed India’s chances of making it thrice in a row, leaving the final match of the marquee series at the SCG to decide their fate. It remains bleak, but they still have an outside chance of reaching the WTC Final and completing their trophy cabinet with the only ICC title that has eluded them till now. How can India still qualify for WTC Final after MCG loss? India lost the fourth Test at the MCG—their second of the series to the hosts, conceding the lead they took after bagging a massive win in the series opener in Perth. With the scoreline reading 2-1 in Australia’s favour, they are beaming confidently, entering the fifth Test of the series with an upper hand over India. Also read | BGT – Pat Cummins rates MCG Test win over India his ‘greatest ever’ For India to reach the WTC Final 2025, they must not only beat Australia significantly but also hope for other results to fall in place for them. Should India win at the SCG, their PCT (of 55.26) would be enough for them to finish second if Australia achieves no more than just a draw in two Tests in Sri Lanka. In that case, Australia’s PCT would read 53.51, while Sri Lanka would finish at 48.72 (with one win). However, in case of a draw in the final match of the series, India’s PCT would drop to 51.75, ruling them out of the WTC Final race; and this is because even if Australia play a draw at the SCG and lose to Sri Lanka 0-2, they would finish on 53.51, while Sri Lanka would climb up to 53.85, piping India and Australia to qualify for their maiden WTC Final. Which team stands a better chance? Following the win in the MCG Test, Australia is a frontrunner to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 and face South Africa in the clash of titans. Should they beat India at the SCG Test starting January 3 next year, Australia will qualify regardless of the result against Sri Lanka that follows. If they win the final Test in Sydney, which sees them bagging the coveted BGT after ten years, and lose the two games in the Island Nation, their PCT would read 57.02 compared to India’s 50 and Sri Lanka’s 53.85. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained - How India can reach the WTC Final after losing MCG Test

South Africa has become the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 after a thrilling win over Pakistan in the first Test on Sunday (Dec 29). The Proteas just needed to win one of the two games of their home Test series against Pakistan to enter their maiden WTC Final.
The Internatioal Cricket Council (ICC) also confirmed the same with a post on social medial platform X. Here's the post below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m59jga4l-qno0uto1-r1qxvcgh">
𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙈𝙀𝘿 🇿🇦 South Africa are headed to Lord's for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC25?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC25</a> Final 🤩 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvPAK</a> ➡ <a href="https://t.co/vWLh4MSQjm">https://t.co/vWLh4MSQjm</a> <a href="https://t.co/sZ5QBnDAYD">pic.twitter.com/sZ5QBnDAYD</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1873329612169552313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
South Africa's chances were bightened up after India's 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home but them making it to the final speaks volume about their abilities too.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/wtc-standings-gabba-draw-puts-india-in-must-win-territory-ahead-of-boxing-day-test-784931" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">WTC Standings: Gabba draw puts India in 'must-win' territory ahead of Boxing Day Test</a>
Chasing a modest 148 to win the first Test against Pakistan, SA were cruising alsong at 62/3 before the visiting bowlers wrested back the control. SA went into the lunch on day 4 at 99/8, still needing 48 runs to win with two wickets left.
Kagiso Rabada (31 off 26 balls) and Marco Jansen (16 off 24) then added 51 runs for the ninth wicket to take SA to a thrilling win.
<h2>WTC Final 2025 Scenarios</h2>
With SA being confirmed as one of the finalists, only one of Australia and India can grab the second spot. Australia, which are second on the points tally, can still make it to the final despite drawing their ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series 2-2 vs India. Australia, however, would need to win their next series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka after BGT ends in draw.
For India, they have to win the ongoing BGT 3-1 to ensure their qualification in the WTC Final and if they fail to do so, their qualification will rest on the other teams' results, especially Australia vs Sri Lanka.

Sports Cricket - WTC Final Scenarios: As SA enter their maiden WTC Final 2025, only one of India and Australia will be taking the second spot.

South Africa has become the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 after a thrilling win over Pakistan in the first Test on Sunday (Dec 29). The Proteas just needed to win one of the two games of their home Test series against Pakistan to enter their maiden WTC Final. The Internatioal Cricket Council (ICC) also confirmed the same with a post on social medial platform X. Here's the post below: 𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙈𝙀𝘿 🇿🇦 South Africa are headed to Lord's for the #WTC25 Final 🤩 #SAvPAK ➡ https://t.co/vWLh4MSQjm pic.twitter.com/sZ5QBnDAYD — ICC (@ICC) December 29, 2024 South Africa's chances were bightened up after India's 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home but them making it to the final speaks volume about their abilities too. Also Read: WTC Standings: Gabba draw puts India in 'must-win' territory ahead of Boxing Day Test Chasing a modest 148 to win the first Test against Pakistan, SA were cruising alsong at 62/3 before the visiting bowlers wrested back the control. SA went into the lunch on day 4 at 99/8, still needing 48 runs to win with two wickets left. Kagiso Rabada (31 off 26 balls) and Marco Jansen (16 off 24) then added 51 runs for the ninth wicket to take SA to a thrilling win. WTC Final 2025 Scenarios With SA being confirmed as one of the finalists, only one of Australia and India can grab the second spot. Australia, which are second on the points tally, can still make it to the final despite drawing their ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series 2-2 vs India. Australia, however, would need to win their next series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka after BGT ends in draw. For India, they have to win the ongoing BGT 3-1 to ensure their qualification in the WTC Final and if they fail to do so, their qualification will rest on the other teams' results, especially Australia vs Sri Lanka.

WTC 2025: South Africa enter final with thrilling win over Pakistan

Team India has lost points on the World Test Championship (WTC) table following their 10-wicket loss against Australia in the just-concluded second BGT Test in Adelaide on Sunday (Dec 8). After going down to the hosts inside three days in the Pink-Ball Test, India has slipped to the third spot on the WTC Final standings with a PCT reading of 57.29, while Australia has returned to the top (60.71), with South Africa second on the list (59.26).

A dip in the points and position will hurt India’s chances of sealing direct qualification in the WTC Final 2025, scheduled in June at Lord’s.&nbsp;

<h2>Current WTC Standings after Adelaide Test Result -</h2>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>RANK</td>
			<td>TEAM</td>
			<td>PCT</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1</td>
			<td>Australia</td>
			<td>60.71</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2</td>
			<td>South Africa</td>
			<td>59.26</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3</td>
			<td>India</td>
			<td>57.29</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4&nbsp;</td>
			<td>Sri Lanka</td>
			<td>50</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>England</td>
			<td>44.44</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-pink-ball-test-australia-level-series-in-adelaide-after-cummins-starc-heroics-782394">BGT, Pink-Ball Test: Australia level series in Adelaide after Cummins, Starc heroics</a>

After India drew first blood in the BGT opener in Perth, winning the game by a whopping 295-run margin, their PCT reached 61.11, leading the standings. However, a loss at the Adelaide Oval brought the number down to less than 58, while Australia’s ninth win in this cycle shot up their BGT from 57.69 to 60.71.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, South Africa, currently second on the table and among the favourites to reach their maiden WTC Final could pip Australia for the top spot should they win the second ongoing Test against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha.

<h3>How can India qualify for WTC Final after Adelaide loss?</h3>

After losing the home Test series to New Zealand 0-3, Team India needed to win 4-0 Down Under to seal direct qualification.&nbsp;

However, following the result in Adelaide, reaching their third successive WTC Final looks like a distant dream for the Indian Team, as they now need to win the remaining three matches scheduled in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, to give them the best chance to cruise ahead.&nbsp;

If India beats Australia 4-1 in this ongoing BGT, they will accumulate 64.05 PCT, confirming&nbsp;their&nbsp;spot in the WTC Final 2025. &nbsp;

But, if India loses another game or plays a draw in the remaining three matches, they would rely on the other team's results to get through.

On the other hand, South Africa will face Pakistan at home, while Australia tours Sri Lanka early next year, keeping the race to the top alive and active.&nbsp;

The third BGT Test begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on December 14.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Team India has lost points on the World Test Championship (WTC) table following their 10-wicket loss against Australia in the just-concluded second BGT Test in Adelaide on Sunday (Dec 8).

Team India has lost points on the World Test Championship (WTC) table following their 10-wicket loss against Australia in the just-concluded second BGT Test in Adelaide on Sunday (Dec 8). After going down to the hosts inside three days in the Pink-Ball Test, India has slipped to the third spot on the WTC Final standings with a PCT reading of 57.29, while Australia has returned to the top (60.71), with South Africa second on the list (59.26). A dip in the points and position will hurt India’s chances of sealing direct qualification in the WTC Final 2025, scheduled in June at Lord’s. Current WTC Standings after Adelaide Test Result - RANK TEAM PCT 1 Australia 60.71 2 South Africa 59.26 3 India 57.29 4 Sri Lanka 50 5 England 44.44 ALSO READ: BGT, Pink-Ball Test: Australia level series in Adelaide after Cummins, Starc heroics After India drew first blood in the BGT opener in Perth, winning the game by a whopping 295-run margin, their PCT reached 61.11, leading the standings. However, a loss at the Adelaide Oval brought the number down to less than 58, while Australia’s ninth win in this cycle shot up their BGT from 57.69 to 60.71. Meanwhile, South Africa, currently second on the table and among the favourites to reach their maiden WTC Final could pip Australia for the top spot should they win the second ongoing Test against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha. How can India qualify for WTC Final after Adelaide loss? After losing the home Test series to New Zealand 0-3, Team India needed to win 4-0 Down Under to seal direct qualification. However, following the result in Adelaide, reaching their third successive WTC Final looks like a distant dream for the Indian Team, as they now need to win the remaining three matches scheduled in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, to give them the best chance to cruise ahead. If India beats Australia 4-1 in this ongoing BGT, they will accumulate 64.05 PCT, confirming their spot in the WTC Final 2025. But, if India loses another game or plays a draw in the remaining three matches, they would rely on the other team's results to get through. On the other hand, South Africa will face Pakistan at home, while Australia tours Sri Lanka early next year, keeping the race to the top alive and active. The third BGT Test begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on December 14. (With inputs from agencies)

India slips to 3rd spot in WTC Final rankings after Adelaide loss; Australia returns to top

England Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes said his team doesn’t think about the ‘utterly confusing’ World Test Championship (WTC) Finale. Ahead of the first day of the first Test between England and New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Stokes addressed England’s failure to reach the summit clash in three editions now, saying his team’s philosophy is to take things ‘game by game and series by series.’

England is placed sixth in the current WTC standings, while the Kiwis are fourth, with their chances of qualifying for the final higher than England’s. Although England’s ‘Bazball’ approach has been talked about a lot since it failed to guide the team to the WTC final despite them playing most Tests compared to other teams.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-play-better-in-away-conditions-than-at-home-says-ponting-after-australias-perth-test-mauling-in-bgt-779931">‘India play better in away conditions than at home,’ says Ponting after Australia’s Perth Test mauling in BGT</a>

Stokes said his aim remains to lead England to victory but admitted not thinking about the coveted WTC trophy, noting it’s a bit weird to continue playing for a tournament for a longer period.&nbsp;

"In all honesty, the World Test Championship, it is a bit confusing, it’s one of those where, you know, we don’t really look at it, I don’t look at it," Stokes said ahead of the series opener. "It’s one of those where, over a long period of time, if you’re playing really good cricket, you’re getting results that you want, you’ll end up finding yourself there in the final and in the mix.”

“For me and this team, it’s about taking it game by game, series by series, and if you end up finding yourself in the position where you happen to be in that World Test Championship Final, then it’s great, but it’s a real weird one knowing that you’re playing for something over a long period of time.”

“I can’t remember if I’ve ever even given any real time to be specifically thinking about the World Test Championship, to be honest, because it’s utterly confusing; we play a lot more cricket than anyone else does; that’s just what we try and focus on, you know, if we play well, we’ll be there or thereabouts, but if we don’t, then we won’t be,” Stokes continued.&nbsp;

<h2>What happened on day one?</h2>

England won the toss and elected to bowl first in Christchurch. They removed Devon Conway early on mere two before Kiwi captain Tom Latham and returning Kane Williamson kept the scoreboard ticking. Though the middle order provided support with handy contributions, New Zealand managed 319 for eight at stumps on day one.&nbsp;

Williamson was New Zealand’s highest run-getter with 93 off 197 balls, while Shoaib Bashir picked four wickets, while seamers Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse bagged two each.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

England Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes said his team doesn’t think about the ‘utterly confusing’ World Test Championship (WTC) Finale. Ahead of the first day of the first Test between England and New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Stokes addressed England’s failure to reach the summit clash in three editions now, saying his team’s philosophy is to take things ‘game by game and series by series.

England Test captain and star all-rounder Ben Stokes said his team doesn’t think about the ‘utterly confusing’ World Test Championship (WTC) Finale. Ahead of the first day of the first Test between England and New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, Stokes addressed England’s failure to reach the summit clash in three editions now, saying his team’s philosophy is to take things ‘game by game and series by series.’ England is placed sixth in the current WTC standings, while the Kiwis are fourth, with their chances of qualifying for the final higher than England’s. Although England’s ‘Bazball’ approach has been talked about a lot since it failed to guide the team to the WTC final despite them playing most Tests compared to other teams. ALSO READ: ‘India play better in away conditions than at home,’ says Ponting after Australia’s Perth Test mauling in BGT Stokes said his aim remains to lead England to victory but admitted not thinking about the coveted WTC trophy, noting it’s a bit weird to continue playing for a tournament for a longer period. "In all honesty, the World Test Championship, it is a bit confusing, it’s one of those where, you know, we don’t really look at it, I don’t look at it," Stokes said ahead of the series opener. "It’s one of those where, over a long period of time, if you’re playing really good cricket, you’re getting results that you want, you’ll end up finding yourself there in the final and in the mix.” “For me and this team, it’s about taking it game by game, series by series, and if you end up finding yourself in the position where you happen to be in that World Test Championship Final, then it’s great, but it’s a real weird one knowing that you’re playing for something over a long period of time.” “I can’t remember if I’ve ever even given any real time to be specifically thinking about the World Test Championship, to be honest, because it’s utterly confusing; we play a lot more cricket than anyone else does; that’s just what we try and focus on, you know, if we play well, we’ll be there or thereabouts, but if we don’t, then we won’t be,” Stokes continued. What happened on day one? England won the toss and elected to bowl first in Christchurch. They removed Devon Conway early on mere two before Kiwi captain Tom Latham and returning Kane Williamson kept the scoreboard ticking. Though the middle order provided support with handy contributions, New Zealand managed 319 for eight at stumps on day one. Williamson was New Zealand’s highest run-getter with 93 off 197 balls, while Shoaib Bashir picked four wickets, while seamers Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse bagged two each. (With inputs from agencies)

England Test captain Ben Stokes calls WTC format ‘utterly confusing’, says ‘…it’s a real weird’

Sri Lanka will host Australia for two Tests and one ODI early next year, with World Test Championship (WTC) points on the line. Regardless of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy result, this two-match Test series in Galle will play a crucial role in deciding who goes through to the WTC Final, scheduled at Lord’s next year.

While the Tests will hold the higher importance, the one-off ODI added to the schedule, the venue of which is undecided yet, is for both teams to get some match practice ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The two Tests will be played on Jan 29 to Feb 2 and Feb 6-10, with the One-Day game scheduled for February 13.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bgt-no-practice-game-for-india-ahead-of-perth-test-as-bcci-scraps-intra-squad-match-at-waca-772496">BGT: No practice game for India ahead of Perth Test as BCCI scraps intra-squad match at WACA</a>

Per the ICC, Pakistan will stage the eight-team tournament from February 19 to March 9.

Meanwhile, the last time Australia toured Sri Lanka for two Tests in 2022, the series ended in a 1-1 draw. The travelling side won the first Test before Prabath Jayasuriya picked 12 wickets in the second match to level the series. However, there is a higher chance that Australia captain Pat Cummins might miss the series for the birth of his second child.

"We'll see what that looks like closer to the time. We've got a couple of players in Mitch Marsh and Travis Head taking paternity leave at the moment. So, we respect that if that were to unfold for that particular time and if he wants to miss a Test. If he's got bigger things to take care of than a Test match in Sri Lanka, then that's fine with us,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said.

<h2>Changes in squad for SL Tests</h2>

Australia could make several changes to their Test squad for the Sri Lanka series, with white-ball star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in contention for a return to red-ball cricket. Besides, left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann could also return to the side, with former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe urging the selectors to prioritise red-ball spinners to be picked for the Sri Lanka tour.

"I think if we're really going to be serious about the young spinners going over there, whoever is going to accompany Nathan [Lyon], is the Big Bash the best preparation?" Steve O’Keefe said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.&nbsp;

"I'd be encouraging the selectors to let these spinners be going earlier and then I'd be encouraging those spinners to practice with a red ball in between Big Bash games,” he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka will host Australia for two Tests and one ODI early next year, with World Test Championship (WTC) points on the line. Regardless of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy result, this two-match Test series in Galle will play a crucial role in deciding who goes through to the WTC Final, scheduled at Lord’s next year.

Sri Lanka will host Australia for two Tests and one ODI early next year, with World Test Championship (WTC) points on the line. Regardless of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy result, this two-match Test series in Galle will play a crucial role in deciding who goes through to the WTC Final, scheduled at Lord’s next year. While the Tests will hold the higher importance, the one-off ODI added to the schedule, the venue of which is undecided yet, is for both teams to get some match practice ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The two Tests will be played on Jan 29 to Feb 2 and Feb 6-10, with the One-Day game scheduled for February 13. ALSO READ: BGT: No practice game for India ahead of Perth Test as BCCI scraps intra-squad match at WACA Per the ICC, Pakistan will stage the eight-team tournament from February 19 to March 9. Meanwhile, the last time Australia toured Sri Lanka for two Tests in 2022, the series ended in a 1-1 draw. The travelling side won the first Test before Prabath Jayasuriya picked 12 wickets in the second match to level the series. However, there is a higher chance that Australia captain Pat Cummins might miss the series for the birth of his second child. "We'll see what that looks like closer to the time. We've got a couple of players in Mitch Marsh and Travis Head taking paternity leave at the moment. So, we respect that if that were to unfold for that particular time and if he wants to miss a Test. If he's got bigger things to take care of than a Test match in Sri Lanka, then that's fine with us,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said. Changes in squad for SL Tests Australia could make several changes to their Test squad for the Sri Lanka series, with white-ball star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in contention for a return to red-ball cricket. Besides, left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann could also return to the side, with former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe urging the selectors to prioritise red-ball spinners to be picked for the Sri Lanka tour. "I think if we're really going to be serious about the young spinners going over there, whoever is going to accompany Nathan [Lyon], is the Big Bash the best preparation?" Steve O’Keefe said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo. "I'd be encouraging the selectors to let these spinners be going earlier and then I'd be encouraging those spinners to practice with a red ball in between Big Bash games,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka to host Australia for two Tests, one-off ODI early next year

Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has surpassed Australian great Nathan Lyon on the wickets tally in Tests, becoming the seventh highest wicket-takers (531* and counting) with his second scalp of the day against New Zealand on day one of the Pune Test. With three wickets thus far inside the second session, Ashwin leads Lyon in the wickets category in WTC history, with his number reading 189, while Lyon has picked 187 thus far.

Playing his 104th Test, 39th in the WTC cycle since its inception in 2019, Ashwin has the best strike rate for a spinner (44.44*) and the second-best behind Proteas quick Kagiso Rabada (38.87*). In 74 innings thus far, he has 189 wickets (and counting to his name) – a tally testament to his greatness as a Test cricket legend.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-africa-jump-to-4th-position-in-wtc-standings-with-victory-in-first-test-against-bangladesh-770315">South Africa jump to 4th position in WTC standings with victory in first Test against Bangladesh</a>

On the overall tally, Ashwin is seventh on the list of most wicket-takers in Tests, second Indian after Anil Kumble (619), and fourth spinner after him, Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).

<h2>Ashwin picks three inside two sessions on day one&nbsp;</h2>

Ashwin gave India the first breakthrough by removing New Zealand captain Tom Latham, trapped in front on 15. Next, he removed Will Young, caught by Rishabh Pant on 18, before getting the big wicket in player-in-form Devon Conway, caught behind on 76.

Conway’s wicket was the moment he surpassed Lyon on the overall tally.&nbsp;

However, his fellow offie, Washington Sundar, picked two wickets just on the stroke of lunch, removing the dangerous-looking Rachin Ravindra on 65 and keeper-batter Tom Blundell on just three, both deliveries being unplayable.&nbsp;

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T. I. M. B. E. R! 🎯 
 
Cracker of a ball! 👌 👌 
 
Washington Sundar with a breakthrough 🙌 🙌 
 
Live ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/YVjSnKCtlI">https://t.co/YVjSnKCtlI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Sundarwashi5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sundarwashi5</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/OC8VS7fnwT">pic.twitter.com/OC8VS7fnwT</a>
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Despite New Zealand trying to build on the momentum, they lost a bit of it in a few overs, with their scorecard at lunch on day one reading 201 for five in 62 overs.&nbsp;

Daryll Mitchell and Glenn Phillips are now on the crease.

<h3>Ashwin-Lyon face-off</h3>

Ashwin and Lyon will face off in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar series, starting with the first Test in Perth on November 22.

As India plays five Tests Down Under, Ashwin and Lyon will cross paths several times in the marquee series, motivating the other to play out of his skin and do better, making it a mouth-watering contest for the fans watching the world over.&nbsp;

India will face Australia in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in their remaining four Tests.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has surpassed Australian great Nathan Lyon on the wickets tally in Tests, becoming the seventh highest wicket-takers (531* and counting) with his second scalp of the day against New Zealand on day one of the Pune Test.

Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has surpassed Australian great Nathan Lyon on the wickets tally in Tests, becoming the seventh highest wicket-takers (531* and counting) with his second scalp of the day against New Zealand on day one of the Pune Test. With three wickets thus far inside the second session, Ashwin leads Lyon in the wickets category in WTC history, with his number reading 189, while Lyon has picked 187 thus far. Playing his 104th Test, 39th in the WTC cycle since its inception in 2019, Ashwin has the best strike rate for a spinner (44.44*) and the second-best behind Proteas quick Kagiso Rabada (38.87*). In 74 innings thus far, he has 189 wickets (and counting to his name) – a tally testament to his greatness as a Test cricket legend. ALSO READ: South Africa jump to 4th position in WTC standings with victory in first Test against Bangladesh On the overall tally, Ashwin is seventh on the list of most wicket-takers in Tests, second Indian after Anil Kumble (619), and fourth spinner after him, Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708). Ashwin picks three inside two sessions on day one Ashwin gave India the first breakthrough by removing New Zealand captain Tom Latham, trapped in front on 15. Next, he removed Will Young, caught by Rishabh Pant on 18, before getting the big wicket in player-in-form Devon Conway, caught behind on 76. Conway’s wicket was the moment he surpassed Lyon on the overall tally. However, his fellow offie, Washington Sundar, picked two wickets just on the stroke of lunch, removing the dangerous-looking Rachin Ravindra on 65 and keeper-batter Tom Blundell on just three, both deliveries being unplayable. T. I. M. B. E. R! 🎯 Cracker of a ball! 👌 👌 Washington Sundar with a breakthrough 🙌 🙌 Live ▶️ https://t.co/YVjSnKCtlI #TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @Sundarwashi5 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/OC8VS7fnwT — BCCI (@BCCI) October 24, 2024 × Despite New Zealand trying to build on the momentum, they lost a bit of it in a few overs, with their scorecard at lunch on day one reading 201 for five in 62 overs. Daryll Mitchell and Glenn Phillips are now on the crease. Ashwin-Lyon face-off Ashwin and Lyon will face off in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar series, starting with the first Test in Perth on November 22. As India plays five Tests Down Under, Ashwin and Lyon will cross paths several times in the marquee series, motivating the other to play out of his skin and do better, making it a mouth-watering contest for the fans watching the world over. India will face Australia in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in their remaining four Tests. (With inputs from agencies)

IND v NZ 2024: Ravichandran Ashwin surpasses Nathan Lyon on wickets tally in Tests, WTC history

South Africa is back in the race for the top-two finish in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings for the current cycle, with a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test in Dhaka. Early on day four, the Proteas wrapped up Bangladesh’s second innings on 307, with seamer Kagiso Rabada returning with six wickets, overall nine in the match. Chasing 106, the visitors lost three wickets but achieved their target in 22 overs.

This win in Dhaka is South Africa's first in Asia since 2014 and second in Bangladesh, the first since 2008 in Chattogram, where they won by an innings and 205 runs.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-coach-gillespies-role-confined-to-match-day-strategy-as-pcb-reallocates-decision-making-duty-elsewhere-770279">PAK coach Gillespie’s role confined to ‘match-day strategy’ as PCB reallocates decision-making duty elsewhere</a>

With a PCT of 47.61%, they leapfrogged New Zealand, who took the number four spot earlier following their first Test win in India in 36 years in their previous match.&nbsp;

For the Proteas to confirm their top-two finish, they must win their remaining five Tests, which will see them attain a PCT of 69.44% (assuming no-point deduction on slower over rates).

However, four wins from five matches will read their PCT 61.11%, giving them a greater chance of making their maiden WTC Final, but that would also depend on other results of Australia, India and Sri Lanka.

<h2>Rabada stars in Dhaka</h2>

The ace seamer Rabada was the star for South Africa in the first Test, returning with nine wickets in the game. Rabada picked his 300th Test wicket in the first innings, taking 11,817 balls to reach the milestone – the fewest for any bowler. His strike rate of 39.2 at the end of Bangladesh’s first innings in Mirpur is the best among all bowlers who have picked 300 or more Test wickets, with former pacer Dale Steyn second on the list with a 42.3 strike rate.

South Africa dismissed Bangladesh on 106 in the first innings and, in reply, scored 308, taking a 202-run lead. Kyle Verreynne scored his maiden Test hundred, while Taijul Islam picked five wickets. In the second innings, Bangladesh was reduced to 112 for six at one stage but went on to score 307, thanks to a brilliant 97 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rabada was the star in the second innings for the Proteas.

Chasing 106, South Africa openers Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram added 42 for the first wicket, setting the tone. Taijul picked two wickets but failed to inspire his team to a win, resulting in South Africa taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.&nbsp;

Chattogram will host the second Test starting October 29.

(With inputs from agencies)

South Africa is back in the race for the top-two finish in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings for the current cycle, with a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test in Dhaka.

South Africa is back in the race for the top-two finish in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings for the current cycle, with a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test in Dhaka. Early on day four, the Proteas wrapped up Bangladesh’s second innings on 307, with seamer Kagiso Rabada returning with six wickets, overall nine in the match. Chasing 106, the visitors lost three wickets but achieved their target in 22 overs. This win in Dhaka is South Africa's first in Asia since 2014 and second in Bangladesh, the first since 2008 in Chattogram, where they won by an innings and 205 runs. ALSO READ: PAK coach Gillespie’s role confined to ‘match-day strategy’ as PCB reallocates decision-making duty elsewhere With a PCT of 47.61%, they leapfrogged New Zealand, who took the number four spot earlier following their first Test win in India in 36 years in their previous match. For the Proteas to confirm their top-two finish, they must win their remaining five Tests, which will see them attain a PCT of 69.44% (assuming no-point deduction on slower over rates). However, four wins from five matches will read their PCT 61.11%, giving them a greater chance of making their maiden WTC Final, but that would also depend on other results of Australia, India and Sri Lanka. Rabada stars in Dhaka The ace seamer Rabada was the star for South Africa in the first Test, returning with nine wickets in the game. Rabada picked his 300th Test wicket in the first innings, taking 11,817 balls to reach the milestone – the fewest for any bowler. His strike rate of 39.2 at the end of Bangladesh’s first innings in Mirpur is the best among all bowlers who have picked 300 or more Test wickets, with former pacer Dale Steyn second on the list with a 42.3 strike rate. South Africa dismissed Bangladesh on 106 in the first innings and, in reply, scored 308, taking a 202-run lead. Kyle Verreynne scored his maiden Test hundred, while Taijul Islam picked five wickets. In the second innings, Bangladesh was reduced to 112 for six at one stage but went on to score 307, thanks to a brilliant 97 by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rabada was the star in the second innings for the Proteas. Chasing 106, South Africa openers Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram added 42 for the first wicket, setting the tone. Taijul picked two wickets but failed to inspire his team to a win, resulting in South Africa taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Chattogram will host the second Test starting October 29. (With inputs from agencies)

South Africa jump to 4th position in WTC standings with victory in first Test against Bangladesh

India lost a home Test to New Zealand for the first time in 36 years, drawing flak from fans over a few poor decisions, including batting first on day two, which saw them getting all out on their lowest Test total (46) at home. Though they tried making up for it with a massive effort in the second innings (scoring 462), New Zealand’s first-innings lead of 356 turned out too much for the hosts.

Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant were the heroes with the bat in hand, scoring 150 and 99, respectively, but India could only set a target of 107 runs, and conceded the match inside the first session on day five, with New Zealand winning by eight wickets.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-lauds-sarfaraz-pant-for-mature-knocks-backs-india-to-give-it-all-in-remaining-two-tests-vs-nz-769154">Rohit Sharma lauds Sarfaraz, Pant for mature knocks; backs India to give it all in remaining two Tests vs NZ</a>

With India losing the first Test of the series, how will this impact their standings on the WTC table, and what do they have to do to seal a place in the final for the third straight time?&nbsp;

<h2>India on WTC standing</h2>

Despite losing the first Test in Bengaluru, India remain&nbsp;in the&nbsp;top spot, with a PCT of 68.06, Australia second (62.50), followed by Sri Lanka (55.56) at third. New Zealand&nbsp;climbed to the fourth spot with 44.44 PCT, gaining 12 points from their maiden Test win on Indian soil in over three decades.

Although India remains favourites to qualify for the WTC 2025 Final next year at the Lord’s in June, their current position doesn’t guarantee that. For India to make it to the WTC Final, they have to win at least six of the seven remaining matches (two against New Zealand and five versus Australia Down Under) in this cycle, which will see their points percentage reaching the maximum of 74.56, which only Australia can exceed.

In case India loses two matches and wins the remaining five, the maximum PCT they can attain is 69.3, which Australia and South Africa can overtake. For India to avoid getting into this situation, they must win five and draw one.&nbsp;

<h3>Who are India’s competitors?</h3>

Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand (by virtue of this win in Bengaluru) can trouble India with certain results going their way.

If India loses three matches from here, the best PCT they can have is 64.04, a tally that four pairs—Australia &amp; South Africa, Sri Lanka &amp; New Zealand, South Africa &amp; New Zealand, and Australia &amp; New Zealand—can overtake.

Meanwhile, in two cases, where India wins four matches and draws one or wins five games and draws one, they will more or less qualify for the WTC Final.

Pune will host the second Test between India and New Zealand starting Thursday (Oct 24).&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

India lost a home Test to New Zealand for the first time in 36 years, drawing flak from fans over a few poor decisions, including batting first on day two, which saw them getting all out on their lowest Test total (46) at home.

India lost a home Test to New Zealand for the first time in 36 years, drawing flak from fans over a few poor decisions, including batting first on day two, which saw them getting all out on their lowest Test total (46) at home. Though they tried making up for it with a massive effort in the second innings (scoring 462), New Zealand’s first-innings lead of 356 turned out too much for the hosts. Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant were the heroes with the bat in hand, scoring 150 and 99, respectively, but India could only set a target of 107 runs, and conceded the match inside the first session on day five, with New Zealand winning by eight wickets. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma lauds Sarfaraz, Pant for mature knocks; backs India to give it all in remaining two Tests vs NZ With India losing the first Test of the series, how will this impact their standings on the WTC table, and what do they have to do to seal a place in the final for the third straight time? India on WTC standing Despite losing the first Test in Bengaluru, India remain in the top spot, with a PCT of 68.06, Australia second (62.50), followed by Sri Lanka (55.56) at third. New Zealand climbed to the fourth spot with 44.44 PCT, gaining 12 points from their maiden Test win on Indian soil in over three decades. Although India remains favourites to qualify for the WTC 2025 Final next year at the Lord’s in June, their current position doesn’t guarantee that. For India to make it to the WTC Final, they have to win at least six of the seven remaining matches (two against New Zealand and five versus Australia Down Under) in this cycle, which will see their points percentage reaching the maximum of 74.56, which only Australia can exceed. In case India loses two matches and wins the remaining five, the maximum PCT they can attain is 69.3, which Australia and South Africa can overtake. For India to avoid getting into this situation, they must win five and draw one. Who are India’s competitors? Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand (by virtue of this win in Bengaluru) can trouble India with certain results going their way. If India loses three matches from here, the best PCT they can have is 64.04, a tally that four pairs—Australia & South Africa, Sri Lanka & New Zealand, South Africa & New Zealand, and Australia & New Zealand—can overtake. Meanwhile, in two cases, where India wins four matches and draws one or wins five games and draws one, they will more or less qualify for the WTC Final. Pune will host the second Test between India and New Zealand starting Thursday (Oct 24). (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: India’s chances of qualifying for WTC Final after losing Bengaluru Test to New Zealand

England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, was surprised yet happy to learn that Shoaib Bashir is the youngest English bowler to take a five-for in a home Test, surpassing bowling great James Anderson.&nbsp;

Bashir was all over the West Indies team in the fourth innings in Nottingham, picking his third five-wicket haul in only his fifth Test, helping England win the second Test by 241 runs. With this win, they clinched the three-match series (2-0) and climbed to the sixth spot on the World Test Championships (WTC) standings.

Bashir picked five for 41 in the second innings, derailing West Indies' momentum after a steady start. From 61/0 to 82/5, the West Indies batters fell flat, courtesy of some classy off and top spin by the 20-year-old.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-rohit-can-play-2027-odi-world-cup-if-they-stay-fit-gautam-gambhir-742999">Virat, Rohit can play 2027 ODI World Cup if they stay fit: Gautam Gambhir</a>

The touring side, which showed heart in the first inning by completing their first 400-plus score in Tests in a long time, got all out on 143, surrendering to Bashir’s brave spell.

"Bash showed the world what he's about today, on a wicket that wasn't necessarily offering too much for spin throughout the whole game," Stokes said at the post-match presentation. "The ability he had to be able to change his pace, change his line, and manipulate how he wanted the ball to react out of the surface was top-class."

Meanwhile, Bashir made his Test debut during the away India tour earlier this year and picked two five-fors then. Although he was part of the first Test at the Lord’s against WI – also Anderson’s farewell Test, he didn’t bowl a single over.&nbsp;

<h2>England climb&nbsp;on WTC Standings</h2>

With the win in Trent Bridge, England rose to the sixth spot on the WTC standings, ahead of South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies, with a PCT of 31.25.

A 241-run win in the second Test is their fifth win in 12 Tests in this WTC cycle, with ten matches remaining, including the third and final one of the series in Birmingham starting July 26.&nbsp;

The England Team will next host Sri Lanka for three Tests before travelling to Pakistan for as many matches in October. England will then travel to New Zealand for another three-match series, aiming to finish in the top two for the first time.

The third WTC Final will take place at the Lord’s next year.

(With inputs from agencies)

England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, was surprised yet happy to learn that Shoaib Bashir is the youngest English bowler to take a five-for in a home Test, surpassing bowling great James Anderson.

England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, was surprised yet happy to learn that Shoaib Bashir is the youngest English bowler to take a five-for in a home Test, surpassing bowling great James Anderson. Bashir was all over the West Indies team in the fourth innings in Nottingham, picking his third five-wicket haul in only his fifth Test, helping England win the second Test by 241 runs. With this win, they clinched the three-match series (2-0) and climbed to the sixth spot on the World Test Championships (WTC) standings. Bashir picked five for 41 in the second innings, derailing West Indies' momentum after a steady start. From 61/0 to 82/5, the West Indies batters fell flat, courtesy of some classy off and top spin by the 20-year-old. ALSO READ: Virat, Rohit can play 2027 ODI World Cup if they stay fit: Gautam Gambhir The touring side, which showed heart in the first inning by completing their first 400-plus score in Tests in a long time, got all out on 143, surrendering to Bashir’s brave spell. "Bash showed the world what he's about today, on a wicket that wasn't necessarily offering too much for spin throughout the whole game," Stokes said at the post-match presentation. "The ability he had to be able to change his pace, change his line, and manipulate how he wanted the ball to react out of the surface was top-class." Meanwhile, Bashir made his Test debut during the away India tour earlier this year and picked two five-fors then. Although he was part of the first Test at the Lord’s against WI – also Anderson’s farewell Test, he didn’t bowl a single over. England climb on WTC Standings With the win in Trent Bridge, England rose to the sixth spot on the WTC standings, ahead of South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies, with a PCT of 31.25. A 241-run win in the second Test is their fifth win in 12 Tests in this WTC cycle, with ten matches remaining, including the third and final one of the series in Birmingham starting July 26. The England Team will next host Sri Lanka for three Tests before travelling to Pakistan for as many matches in October. England will then travel to New Zealand for another three-match series, aiming to finish in the top two for the first time. The third WTC Final will take place at the Lord’s next year. (With inputs from agencies)

Ben Stokes praises 'record-breaker' Bashir as England climb on WTC standings after series win over WI

India Captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shorter format shortly after leading the team to its second T20 World Cup in the Americas on June 29 in Barbados. A fortnight later, during a promotional event in Dallas, USA, Rohit was asked about his plans, more so around the remaining two formats, with the veteran batter shutting retirement talks immediately, claiming he is going nowhere and that everyone will watch him play for a while.

Rohit, alongside veteran batter Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, decided to quit T20Is after the T20 World Cup triumph, with Rohit departing as the leading run-scorer in the format (4231 runs from 159 matches), including five hundreds and 32 fifties.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/zim-v-ind-2024-shubman-gill-on-captaincy-bringing-best-out-of-him-its-something-i-definitely-enjoy-740963">ZIM v IND 2024: Shubman Gill on captaincy bringing best out of him - ‘It’s something I definitely enjoy’</a>

“This was my last (T20I) game as well. No better time to say goodbye to this format. I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format.&nbsp;

“This is what I wanted, I wanted to win the Cup. I wanted this badly. Very hard to put in words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was very desperate for this title in my life. Happy that we eventually crossed the line,” Rohit said after the final against South Africa.

Although BCCI is said to rest Rohit for the away Sri Lanka ODIs (starting August 1 in Colombo), with an eye on keeping him fresh for the home season, he quickly responded to the question about his future during the event.&nbsp;

“I just said it. I don’t look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play at least for a while,” Rohit said.

WATCH VIDEO -

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At least you will see me playing for a while! Says Rohit Sharma in Dallas. <a href="https://t.co/wADSJZj6b5">pic.twitter.com/wADSJZj6b5</a>
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<h2>Rohit to lead Team India in CT, WTC Final</h2>

With the conclusion of the 20-team tournament in the USA and the Caribbean, Team India’s next two ICC events to look forward to are the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, scheduled in England.&nbsp;

Though the Champions Trophy’s status remains unclear, given the BCCI has asked ICC to change venue (to Dubai or Sri Lanka) owing to tense relations between arch rivals, the Rohit-led Test side leads the WTC standings, with six wins in nine matches and a PCT of 68.52, strengthening their chances of reaching third WTC Final on the trot.

Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had announced that Rohit will continue leading India in the two slated ICC tournaments next year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

India Captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shorter format shortly after leading the team to its second T20 World Cup in the Americas on June 29 in Barbados.

India Captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shorter format shortly after leading the team to its second T20 World Cup in the Americas on June 29 in Barbados. A fortnight later, during a promotional event in Dallas, USA, Rohit was asked about his plans, more so around the remaining two formats, with the veteran batter shutting retirement talks immediately, claiming he is going nowhere and that everyone will watch him play for a while. Rohit, alongside veteran batter Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, decided to quit T20Is after the T20 World Cup triumph, with Rohit departing as the leading run-scorer in the format (4231 runs from 159 matches), including five hundreds and 32 fifties. ALSO READ: ZIM v IND 2024: Shubman Gill on captaincy bringing best out of him - ‘It’s something I definitely enjoy’ “This was my last (T20I) game as well. No better time to say goodbye to this format. I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format. “This is what I wanted, I wanted to win the Cup. I wanted this badly. Very hard to put in words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was very desperate for this title in my life. Happy that we eventually crossed the line,” Rohit said after the final against South Africa. Although BCCI is said to rest Rohit for the away Sri Lanka ODIs (starting August 1 in Colombo), with an eye on keeping him fresh for the home season, he quickly responded to the question about his future during the event. “I just said it. I don’t look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play at least for a while,” Rohit said. WATCH VIDEO - At least you will see me playing for a while! Says Rohit Sharma in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/wADSJZj6b5 — Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa) July 14, 2024 × Rohit to lead Team India in CT, WTC Final With the conclusion of the 20-team tournament in the USA and the Caribbean, Team India’s next two ICC events to look forward to are the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, scheduled in England. Though the Champions Trophy’s status remains unclear, given the BCCI has asked ICC to change venue (to Dubai or Sri Lanka) owing to tense relations between arch rivals, the Rohit-led Test side leads the WTC standings, with six wins in nine matches and a PCT of 68.52, strengthening their chances of reaching third WTC Final on the trot. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had announced that Rohit will continue leading India in the two slated ICC tournaments next year. (With inputs from agencies)

Ageing Rohit ‘going nowhere’ as India veteran shuts retirement talks - WATCH

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