India recorded a dominant 295-run win in the first Test after dismissing Australia for 238 in their second innings on day four on Monday.
With the thumping win, India lead the five-match series 1-0. It did not take long for India to complete formalities after reducing Australia to 227 for eight at tea. Chasing 534, the hosts were all out shortly after the break.
Travis Head (89) and Mitchell Marsh (47) showed fight in an otherwise underwhelming batting performance by the hosts. Alex Carey (36) was the last man to be dismissed. Three wickets fell in the afternoon session after Mohammed Siraj reduced Australia to 104 for five at lunch.
India made a remarkable comeback after getting bowled out for 150 on the opening day as Australia were limited to 104 in response.
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Meanwhile, India`s commanding victory in the first Test has not only given them a 1-0 lead in the series but has also propelled them to the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table. With a remarkable 61.11 percentage points, India now hold the No. 1 spot, surpassing Australia, who are in second place with 57.69 percentage points.
India’s success in this series is critical for their quest to qualify for the WTC 2025 final at Lord’s. To secure a place in the top two of the WTC standings and confirm their ticket to the final, India will need to win at least three of the remaining four matches in the series. With the momentum from this historic win, India will look to continue their dominance as they aim to repeat their 2021 and 2023 WTC final appearances, but this time with hopes of a better outcome.
World Test Championship 2023-25 points table
|
POSITION |
TEAM |
PLAYED |
WON |
LOST |
DRAW |
PENALTY |
POINTS |
PCT% |
|
1. |
India |
15 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
110 |
61.11 |
|
2. |
Australia |
13 |
8 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
90 |
57.69 |
|
3. |
Sri Lanka |
9 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
60 |
55.56 |
|
4. |
New Zealand |
11 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
72 |
54.55 |
|
5. |
South Africa |
8 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
52 |
54.17 |
|
6. |
England |
19 |
9 |
9 |
1 |
19 |
93 |
40.79 |
|
7. |
Pakistan |
10 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
8 |
40 |
33.33 |
|
8. |
Bangladesh |
10 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
33 |
27.50 |
|
9. |
West Indies |
9 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
20 |
18.52 |
India reached the finals of the WTC in both 2021 and 2023, but on each occasion, they were defeated. In the 2021 final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, New Zealand triumphed by 8 wickets. Two years later, in 2023, a dominant Australian team led by Pat Cummins hammered India by 209 runs at The Oval.
Despite these setbacks, India’s position atop the WTC points table is a testament to their consistency and determination. With a series win now firmly within their grasp, India will be focused on finishing strong to achieve their ultimate goal of winning the WTC final and claiming their first-ever World Test Championship title.
