India might have won the T20 World Cup earlier this year, but there’s no denying that there’s a lot to ponder for Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar as far as Test cricket is concerned. Unless a miracle happens against Sri Lanka and New Zealand later this year, India are all but out of contention for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. A loss against South Africa on home soil last year pretty much sealed the deal. However, amid the dip in form in the longest format of the game, the Indian team witnessed a surge in the latest ICC annual Test rankings, unveiled by the apex body on Friday afternoon.
In the latest annual rankings, where Australia holds the top spot, India moved up one place to third with a total of 104 points, overtaking England, which has a total tally of 102 points.
The rise in rankings isn’t down to how India have been performing in Test cricket. Rather, the latest development stems from England’s lacklustre showing in the Ashes and against India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy last year.
England dropped below India after losing the weightage of results prior to April 30, 2023, which included home series wins against New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the 3-0 win against Pakistan in Pakistan.
South Africa are placed second in the annual Test rankings while New Zealand and Pakistan are fifth and sixth, respectively. Sri Lanka slipped one spot to seventh. West Indies, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe round out the top 10, while Ireland dropped out of the rankings for not playing eight matches during the rating period. Both Ireland and Afghanistan are required to play two Tests each in the next year to return to the standings.
India’s fading WTC hopes
After the two-match Test series against South Africa last year, India slipped to the sixth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. The last three assignments are against Sri Lanka (away), New Zealand (away) and Australia (home).
Out of the remaining nine matches, India must win at least seven to have any chance of making a trip to London and taking the field at Lord’s Cricket Ground for the WTC final. The enormity of the task is way too big considering India have to play two away series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and both away.
The trip to New Zealand will be followed by a home five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, and considering the recent home debacles against New Zealand and Australia, one can safely say that a 5-0 sweep against Pat Cummins’ team is highly unlikely.
India began the WTC 2025-27 cycle with a 2-2 result against England in England and then won the two-match series against the West Indies at home. However, a series whitewash against the Proteas changed everything for Gambhir’s India.
Under Gambhir, India also failed to reach the final of the previous WTC final after losing against New Zealand at home and against Australia (away).