India and New Zealand confirmed as finalist for the World Test Championship 2019-2021 [Post#552]

[MenInG]

Latest Standings

 

[Sidilicious]

Latest Standings

View attachment 98087

Isn’t Aus playing it’s 3rd, and NZ it’s 2nd series?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Isn’t Aus playing it’s 3rd, and NZ it’s 2nd series?

That is updated only after series is completed.

 

[Bhaijaan]

India vs Australia final at Lords seem most likely

 

[Sidilicious]

That is updated only after series is completed.

But England vs SA has been updated to mention 2 series each. They have only completed 1 series each.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

But England vs SA has been updated to mention 2 series each. They have only completed 1 series each.

ICC website has quite a few errors. I noticed that earlier as well.

 

[Abdullah719]

 

[Abdullah719]

Australia take full points against New Zealand

Australia have grabbed a full 120 points from their series against New Zealand and are firmly placed in second position on the ICC World Test Championship points table.

Australia are on 296 points after completing the 3-0 series win and only behind India, who are on 360 points from three series. Australia had earlier gained a full 120 points in a two-match home series against Pakistan and earned 56 for a 2-2 draw with England.

New Zealand remain on 60 points after two series, having split points for a 1-1 series draw with Sri Lanka earlier on. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are slightly ahead with 80 points each.

Each series of the WTC is worth 120 points, distributed evenly over the number of matches in a series. The points range from 60 points for each match of a two-Test series to 24 for each match of a five-Test series.

England and South Africa, currently engaged in a four-Test series which hosts South Africa lead 1-0, are on 56 and 30 points, respectively, while the West Indies and Bangladesh have yet to earn a point after one series each, played against India.

The top two teams at the end of the league will play the final in the UK in June 2021 with the winners crowned the World Test Champions.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/1562361

 

[Hasan123]

Everything is pointing to a India vs Australia final.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

"Hoping" for an India vs Pakistan final - but realistically looking at an India vs Australia final at Lord's.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Hope India is in top shape when they get to final. India has plenty of injury concerns. P.Shaw by now would have been a great opener in the world if he continued without injuries and ban. Averaging 118 in Tests. But he can't play until Rohit sharma sucks real bad. India really made a mistake on experimenting with Rohit up the order. He won't survive against moving ball. Pujara, Kohli, Rahane have to retain their form. Pandya has to come back. Bowlers have to stay fit. I don't think Australia will have any issues.

 

[Aman]

Aus v India Final.

Aus will win the first Test Championship, fitting given they're the greatest cricket nation.

 

[aloo paratha]

Aus v India Final.

Aus will win the first Test Championship, fitting given they're the greatest cricket nation.

Yeah I don't see India coping too well against Cummins and Hazzlewood with a Duke in hand. Smith is also on another planet when it comes to batting.

 

[Aman]

Yeah I don't see India coping too well against Cummins and Hazzlewood with a Duke in hand. Smith is also on another planet when it comes to batting.

Cummins is the new McGrath brother, he gives nothing and can produce unplayable jaffas to remove set batsmen with seam movement.

 

[Aman]

IDK if I like the WTC in its current incarnation. Not even a year in and we know the 2 teams who will play the Final rendering the next year of Test cricket pointless.

 

[aloo paratha]

IDK if I like the WTC in its current incarnation. Not even a year in and we know the 2 teams who will play the Final rendering the next year pointless.

In my opinion, the team that comes first should automatically qualify for the final. Numbers 2 and 3 can have a semi final of sorts to determine who's in the final.

 

[Sunny_majoka]

IDK if I like the WTC in its current incarnation. Not even a year in and we know the 2 teams who will play the Final rendering the next year of Test cricket pointless.

Plenty of still left in this championship. India has only played it's home games,

 

[Sidilicious]

Plenty of still left in this championship. India has only played it's home games,

Incorrect. India has played 2 home and 1 away. Have 1 more home to go.

 

[MP2011]

Yeah I don't see India coping too well against Cummins and Hazzlewood with a Duke in hand. Smith is also on another planet when it comes to batting.

Aus bats don't have much of a technique to talk about in testing conditions either. I think we've seen this in ample measure during last few years. In Ashes, except for Smith & Labu, they couldn't even cope up with a Jimmy-less English attack.

Also, Smith is yet to play Bumrah in tests. Will be interesting to see him batting against Bumrah especially on non flat decks.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

England grab 90 points against South Africa

England have grabbed 90 of the 120 points at stake in the four-Test series against South Africa and are in third position on the ICC World Test Championship points table with 146 points.

Joe Root and the England team with the series trophy after England won the Fourth Test at the Wanderers between England and South Africa on January 27, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

England’s 3-1 win follows their 2-2 draw against Australia, which had earned them 56 points.

South Africa are in seventh position with only 24 points after two series. Drawing a blank on their tour of India in October last year, they won 30 points for winning the first Test against England but were penalized six points in the final Test at the Wanderers for bowling three overs short.

India lead the table with 360 points from three series while Australia are second with 296 after having grabbed a full 120 each against New Zealand and Pakistan. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are on 80 points each while New Zealand are on 60.

Each series of the WTC is worth 120 points, distributed evenly over the number of matches in a series. The points range from 60 points for each match of a two-Test series to 24 for each match of a five-Test series.

The top two teams at the end of the league will play the final in the UK in June 2021 with the winners crowned the World Test Champions.

 

[jnaveen1980]

England vs Australia vs India for the last 2 spots.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Aus bats don't have much of a technique to talk about in testing conditions either. I think we've seen this in ample measure during last few years. In Ashes, except for Smith & Labu, they couldn't even cope up with a Jimmy-less English attack.

Also, Smith is yet to play Bumrah in tests. Will be interesting to see him batting against Bumrah especially on non flat decks.

England have had the most seamer friendly conditions in recent years in addition to using a dark red dukes ball. Hard to judge Australia based on failures in England. I'm 100 % sure that no other team could have done what they did in the ashes in England. England would have beaten every other team

 

[The Viper]

South Africa have been fined 60% of their match fees and docked six World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over rate in Johannesburg.

 

[ind_win]

Could someone post latest points table ?
Thnx.

 

[MP2011]

England have had the most seamer friendly conditions in recent years in addition to using a dark red dukes ball. Hard to judge Australia based on failures in England. I'm 100 % sure that no other team could have done what they did in the ashes in England. England would have beaten every other team

Well, not just in England. Australian batsmen couldn't cope with our bowlers even at home. I know Smith and Warner weren't there in that series. However, I have my doubts over Warner scoring too many in that series.

So just like every other batsman in world cricket, their technique too is suspect in difficult batting conditions.

 

[Junaids]

It’s fascinating.

The Final at Lords in June 2021 is clearly Australia v India.

Equally fascinating, it’s basically a two horse race for 3rd and 4th place between England and Pakistan.

The ICC missed a trick not having semi-finals, because they would have been:

England v Australia at The Oval
India v Pakistan at Headingley.

They would have sold out ten days of semi-final Test Cricket!

The gate receipts, hospitality sales, sponsorship and TV rights they have squandered probably are around $100 million for the two lost semi-finals.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Well, not just in England. Australian batsmen couldn't cope with our bowlers even at home. I know Smith and Warner weren't there in that series. However, I have my doubts over Warner scoring too many in that series.

So just like every other batsman in world cricket, their technique too is suspect in difficult batting conditions.

I think conditions have been more bowling friendly in test cricket in the last 4-5 years. Also I think I will try and post that CricViz graphic which showed that while teams like India and Australia actually play swing well , they are the worst when there is seam movement. Seam movement is extremely difficult to play and I'm not sure anyone can play consistent deviation off the pitch regardless of technique.

 

[MP2011]

I think conditions have been more bowling friendly in test cricket in the last 4-5 years. Also I think I will try and post that CricViz graphic which showed that while teams like India and Australia actually play swing well , they are the worst when there is seam movement. Seam movement is extremely difficult to play and I'm not sure anyone can play consistent deviation off the pitch regardless of technique.

Thats true. However I still think batting technique of today's batsmen is a notch below than what it used to be in '90s a decade which too had its own share of challenging pitches across the globe.

 

[MP2011]

But then 90s also witnessed the advent of some of world's best ever bats, Tendulkar, Lara, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid etc...

 

[Shutdown Corner]

It’s fascinating.

The Final at Lords in June 2021 is clearly Australia v India.

Equally fascinating, it’s basically a two horse race for 3rd and 4th place between England and Pakistan.

The ICC missed a trick not having semi-finals, because they would have been:

England v Australia at The Oval
India v Pakistan at Headingley.

They would have sold out ten days of semi-final Test Cricket!

The gate receipts, hospitality sales, sponsorship and TV rights they have squandered probably are around $100 million for the two lost semi-finals.

This first cycle or two of the WTC is far from perfect, and is in a sense experimental. I suspect, in the future they will add a semi-finals or play-off type clash.

They should make the Final a timeless Test to ensure that there is a winner no matter what.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

IDK if I like the WTC in its current incarnation. Not even a year in and we know the 2 teams who will play the Final rendering the next year of Test cricket pointless.

Regardless of format or points system, it would still be the same. Moot argument really.

 

[Aman]

Regardless of format or points system, it would still be the same. Moot argument really.

I was hinting at away wins giving more than home. Everyone is a lion at home at home, India and Aus are nuclear warheads and don't lose.

 

[Junaids]

I’d love the following format:

Top team straight into the Final.

3rd plays 4th in a Four Day Test in a greentop.

Winner of 3/4 plays 2 for the second position in the Final, in a Five Day Test. If it’s a draw, 2 reaches the Final.

 

[Hawkeye]

It’s fascinating.

The Final at Lords in June 2021 is clearly Australia v India.

Equally fascinating, it’s basically a two horse race for 3rd and 4th place between England and Pakistan.

The ICC missed a trick not having semi-finals, because they would have been:

England v Australia at The Oval
India v Pakistan at Headingley.

They would have sold out ten days of semi-final Test Cricket!

The gate receipts, hospitality sales, sponsorship and TV rights they have squandered probably are around $100 million for the two lost semi-finals.

Good post.

Totally agree. WTC in its current form is very pointless and not much exciting.

Semi-finals are a must.

 

[andy0204]

But then 90s also witnessed the advent of some of world's best ever bats, Tendulkar, Lara, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Dravid etc...

Add Kirsten,Graham Thorpe as well,they were below but somehow survived.

 

[MP2011]

Add Kirsten,Graham Thorpe as well,they were below but somehow survived.

True.

 

[Swashbuckler]

3rd plays 4th in a Four Day Test in a greentop.

How about rank turner?

But yeah in the future I would like to see 4 teams in the mix, 1 vs 2 is underwhelming. After a couple of cycles I am sure ICC will arrive at a better format. Best of 3 F with the top seed getting some advantage in terms of venues will be even better.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Pakistan should be bangladesh 2-0 plus so thats 120 points, plus an easy 40 points for beating england at lords, then depends how they fare in last 2 tests in england series.

 

[H_shah]

It’s fascinating.

The Final at Lords in June 2021 is clearly Australia v India.

Equally fascinating, it’s basically a two horse race for 3rd and 4th place between England and Pakistan.

The ICC missed a trick not having semi-finals, because they would have been:

England v Australia at The Oval
India v Pakistan at Headingley.

They would have sold out ten days of semi-final Test Cricket!

The gate receipts, hospitality sales, sponsorship and TV rights they have squandered probably are around $100 million for the two lost semi-finals.

They missed the trick by not having semifinals for a tournament thats 3 year long?

Is this a joke? If they put semis then whole playing over 3 years is pointless might as well give points bASED ON 6 -10 MONTHS cycle and be done with it.
Whole point of not having semis is to work hard in these 3 years to earn your place,its not thier fault if many teams have surrendered already and have no hope.
Just becUse your team's chances look bad doesnt make it a bad decision.

And for the boring part,its test cricket...
For most of its part ,it is boring (just few intresting matches here n there)

If there are semis then tourny would be smaller,and there is also question of where to play the semis and for team that gets it away will always complain.(hint -SENA/SUB-C)

May be its better to stop complaining and start perfoming...everything will become much more interesting from there ON.

 

[jiduguravindra]

They missed the trick by not having semifinals for a tournament thats 3 year long?

Is this a joke? If they put semis then whole playing over 3 years is pointless might as well give points bASED ON 6 -10 MONTHS cycle and be done with it.
Whole point of not having semis is to work hard in these 3 years to earn your place,its not thier fault if many teams have surrendered already and have no hope.
Just becUse your team's chances look bad doesnt make it a bad decision.

And for the boring part,its test cricket...
For most of its part ,it is boring (just few intresting matches here n there)

If there are semis then tourny would be smaller,and there is also question of where to play the semis and for team that gets it away will always complain.(hint -SENA/SUB-C)

May be its better to stop complaining and start perfoming...everything will become much more interesting from there ON.

Playoffs
Way to go I think.

 

[aloo paratha]

1 should go straight to the final, 2 vs 3 as a semi final of sorts, where 2 only needs a draw to get into the final.

OR

Semi finals. 1 vs 4, and 2 vs 3. 1 and 2 only need a draw to get into the final.

With either of these, only a 2 week slot needs to allotted.

 

[Junaids]

They missed the trick by not having semifinals for a tournament thats 3 year long?

Is this a joke? If they put semis then whole playing over 3 years is pointless might as well give points bASED ON 6 -10 MONTHS cycle and be done with it.
Whole point of not having semis is to work hard in these 3 years to earn your place,its not thier fault if many teams have surrendered already and have no hope.
Just becUse your team's chances look bad doesnt make it a bad decision.

And for the boring part,its test cricket...
For most of its part ,it is boring (just few intresting matches here n there)

If there are semis then tourny would be smaller,and there is also question of where to play the semis and for team that gets it away will always complain.(hint -SENA/SUB-C)

May be its better to stop complaining and start perfoming...everything will become much more interesting from there ON.

Football World Cup?

 

[Mamoon]

I think it is the perfect format that values consistency. Fluke teams like Pakistan cannot wear their cornered tigers hats and undeservingly qualify for the final.

You have to win consistently over a long period which is beyond our mediocre capabilities.

 

[Hawkeye]

I think it is the perfect format that values consistency. Fluke teams like Pakistan cannot wear their cornered tigers hats and undeservingly qualify for the final.

You have to win consistently over a long period which is beyond our mediocre capabilities.

Tests cannot be fluked. Remember?

But yes, you're now going to justify they can be fluked and contradict your own self.

 

[H_shah]

Football World Cup?

This is not football,test results heavily depend on toss and pitch (home/away) ,where in football there are no such decisive factors.

Yeh lets compare 90 minutr football match with 5 days of test cricket,that will be my only and valid argument/reply.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Updated World Test Championship points table after the conclusion of the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvBAN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PAKvBAN</a> <a href="https://t.co/dKIeZ5LgVf">pic.twitter.com/dKIeZ5LgVf</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1226756692316229632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

Those 40 points missed in the previous Rawalpindi Test due to the rain and therefore a drawn Test Match has hurt Pakistan big time. Walked away from that fixture with just 20 points gained as opposed to 60.

In order to make the final Pakistan will need something like these results minimum in their remaining fixtures over the next year:
Win the next Test vs Bangladesh. 60 points.
Lose 2-1 in England. 40 points.
Win 1-0 in New Zealand. 80 points.
Win 2-0 vs South Africa. 120 points.
That will give them 440 points at the end.

So 8 Tests left for Pakistan and they need to win 5, drawn 1 and lose only 2 at the very minimum to stay in the hunt for a top two finish.

If Australia win 2-0 in Bangladesh this summer they will already be on 416 points with 2 series to play. If India win even a Test in New Zealand they will be on 420 points with 2 series to play.

Would love to see Pakistan play India in the final on 10th-14th June 2021. It will be the biggest Test ever played and our good friend Saj Sadiq will be there in the JP Morgan Media centre at Lord's bringing up pictures and reports on how Mo Abbas has knocked over Pujara's off stump from the nursery end. Imagine that!

 

[ind_win]

Script for the final of WC Test champinship leaked from heavens
India will reach the finals - Kohli will do selection blunders and get out for a cheap score, India will be the runner up. Kohli will win a home series. Kohli the greatest captain ever. Thanks kohli.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

1 should go straight to the final, 2 vs 3 as a semi final of sorts, where 2 only needs a draw to get into the final.

OR

Semi finals. 1 vs 4, and 2 vs 3. 1 and 2 only need a draw to get into the final.

With either of these, only a 2 week slot needs to allotted.

David Richardson has said that this is a scenario he wanted to avoid.
He doesn't want a team going into a game thinking they can draw to get the job done.
A team will have to win the final.

 

[aloo paratha]

David Richardson has said that this is a scenario he wanted to avoid.
He doesn't want a team going into a game thinking they can draw to get the job done.
A team will have to win the final.

how often do you see a draw nowadays? even in dead rubber games? The pitch should be good enough to produce a result on the 4th or 5th day.

 

[BDfanforever]

Test Cricket is the real Cricket no doubt. However, this is a very lame effort to save something on it's last wheel. I mean as if 5 days worth of Cricket isn't enough, they had to drag out the Championships to two freaking years!

On average most of the teams just plays like 10 test matches per year.

 

[taqi]

realistic position that pakistan can target is number 4 i'd be happy if we finish 4 on table

 

[BDfanforever]

I think it is the perfect format that values consistency. Fluke teams like Pakistan cannot wear their cornered tigers hats and undeservingly qualify for the final.

You have to win consistently over a long period which is beyond our mediocre capabilities.

The problem is that there isn't still whole lot of games which gets played. For example, in a typical Baseball season 162 games gets played. Now, obviously Cricket doesn't need to play that many games.

If I try to filter stats for last two years I only see about 10 games per year. This is not enough games to give meaning to any stats. I agree Test Cricket is real format, but it is not practical in any sense. Making a Championship that last two years while a match that last 5 days is quite comical.

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

Some people think the Test Championship is farcical. I am a fan of it. I am willing to fight for its corner all day long. I am very pro it. It is not complicated. It is simple mathematics. Each country will play one series against six different countries over a 20 month period between August 2019 and March 2021 and each series is capped at 120 points. There are three home and three away series each and there are two opponents each country won’t face in the first cycle within the nine team league. Suggestions that the league was farcical on social media prompted me to come back with this piece.

The recently outgoing ICC CEO David Richardson and his team have worked their socks off to get this concept off the ground. It has been talked about for a long time. But now it is finally happening and happening as we speak in metaphorical terms. They thought long and hard about various models and league structures and have come to this conclusion after thorough deliberation.

It is the best thing that has happened to Test Cricket or cricket more generally and realistically speaking was the only way of making it possible given various factors they had to account for such as time lengths in terms of the duration of the league, political tensions between India and Pakistan and the varying general interest or demand in the Test format in different parts of the globe. It is the best they could have come up with given those limiting factors I have mentioned in the previous sentence.

Ask the players. It is serious business. Teams are talking about it and thinking about it and making the Lord’s Test final in 2021 is a major incentive for all involved. So let’s crack on and think positively.

I have been following its development enthusiastically since they announced it was happening for real in the summer of 2017. I have eagerly awaited the scoring system and the itineraries that were released later and I couldn’t wait for the Test Cricket experience post 2019 World Cup when the league was going to commence for good. I was interested to see how other fellow enthusiasts would take to it.

Here below is why some of the opposition to it is nonsensical, and why it is a fair and exciting league for followers of the traditional format:

Not everybody plays everybody but you play 75% of the teams. You don’t want the league to be too long or for Test series to all be restricted to two Tests and hence it is not possible to play all eight opposition in just over a year and a half. But you nonetheless play majority of opposition. At least you don’t play the same team twice.

Each country will play an equal amount of home and away series within the cycle with each Test series capped at 120 points. This was the only way of doing this given series lengths vary. Standardizing the number of Tests wasn’t ideal as you want to encourage longer series where it sells and also because you want each Test to count within a World Test Championship series.

It gives two match Test series greater relevance than they otherwise might have. There are sixty points available for a Test victory as each series has a maximum of 120 points to be gained divided by the number of Tests within that series to determine how much a Test victory is worth.

It gives dead rubbers in Test series more relevance. Think of the points available to win as opposed to the series score line in those scenarios. There is a bigger long term picture to play for and aim towards as opposed to just the bilateral series score line should the series already be decided.

There will be a definitive Test champion at the end of it all. No arguing about the merits of the top ranked Test side anymore. It will be like you have won a tournament where all participants have an equal opportunity of making the final. Plus you would have had to deliver in the pressures of a final to get the silverware.

It gives Test Cricket much needed context and meaning at long last, particularly outside of the more marquee rivalries.

The prospect of a neutral Test match at Lord’s in the final is mouthwatering. Barring the brief two match Test series in 2010 between Australia and Pakistan, England last hosted a neutral Test match in 1912. This is a rarity, adding to the occasion and fascination of such a spectacle should it arise.

The prospect of even India vs Pakistan facing each other in Test Cricket should they both qualify for the final either in 2021 or 2023. This hasn’t happened since 2007. The Test Championship enables this to happen even if it is just for a one off Test; it could be the starting point for something more regular between these two foes as far as red ball cricket goes.

There will be a showpiece event for Test Cricket with a Lord’s Test final in 2021 and 2023 and this will be a great advert for the longer form of the game. It will be a spectacle, an occasion, an event, a finale, a decider. Unarguably will be the most significant Test Match ever played between 10th to 14th June 2021 with the right to become World Test Champions for the first time at stake.

It is better than just having the current Test rankings system to refer to. It is easier to understand how points have been accumulated by looking at Test results and the respective lengths of those series. No one can dispute the winner at the end.

It is only lasting 20 months long for the league stage, although the final will be contested two and bit months later once the English summer is in full swing. This helps maintain interest and relevance in the league phase. It is not overly long. The teams shouldn’t change too much over this period in order to discover the best Test team in the world as far as personnel is concerned or best two given the final is still to come in due course. It is not a drag by any stretch of the imagination. Plus teams have an adequate gap to prepare and plan for the final properly and accordingly and really put on a show in an effort to win the final at the most illustrious cricket ground on the planet.

The location of the final has to get the juices flowing. Playing a Test Match at Lord’s or any international match for that matter is special, but playing a final as well just adds to it. The ground has witnessed many historical moments, but a global final in the five day format is the first of its kind and you couldn’t ask for a better venue to stage it at.

England and Australia will become less Ashes obsessive as this is undoubtedly a bigger, harder and more meaningful prize to win with more of a global feel to it. In order to make the final and ultimately win it you’d have had to hold your own against a variety of opposition across at least four different countries whereas the Ashes is only a five match Test rubber against a certain country albeit a historic one. Not everything will revolve around the build up to an Ashes series and the Ashes series itself anymore thanks to the introduction of the World Test Championship which has been long overdue and is finally happening thankfully. Better late than never.

Let’s get behind it folks. Cut it some slack. It is here to stay. Long may it last.

 

[MenInG]

After New Zealand’s seven-wicket win over India in the second Test at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, the hosts wrapped the two-match series 2-0 leaving India winless in a Test series for the first time since 2014-15. With this New Zealand made big gains in the ICC World Test Championship points table grabbing the maximum 120 points from the series.

They now sit at the third spot with 180 points from seven matches with three wins and four losses. The loss has had no impact on India’s top position as they continue to be at 360 points at the top, 64 points clear of second-placed Australia. India have played nine matches winning seven and losing two. Australia have played ten matches winning seven and losing two while one was a draw.

England are at fourth with five wins, three losses and one draw with 146 points while Pakistan with two wins, two losses and one draw at fifth with 140 points. Sri lanka have played four matches winning one, losing two and drawing one and are at the sixth position with 80 points.

South Africa in seven matches have managed only one win and losing six and are at the seventh place with 24 points. West Indies, who have played two matches and lost two are yet to open their account, so does Bangladesh who have also lost all of their three ICC World Test Championship matches so far.

World Test Championship (2019-2021) Points Table
Rank Team Matches Won Loss Tie Draw No Result Points
1 India 9 7 2 0 0 0 360
2 Australia 10 7 2 0 1 0 296
3 New Zealand 7 3 4 0 0 0 180
4 England 9 5 3 0 1 0 146
5 Pakistan 5 2 2 0 1 0 140
6 Sri Lanka 4 1 2 0 1 0 80
7 South Africa 7 1 6 0 0 0 24
8 West Indies 2 0 2 0 0 0 0
9 Bangladesh 3 0 3 0 0 0 0

Distribution of points in ICC World Test Championship
In a two-match series, each win will get teams 60 points, a tie will get 30 points, a draw will get 20 points while there are no points for defeats. In three-match series, each win will count as 40 points, a tie 20 and a draw 13. In a four-match series, a win is for 30 points, a tie 15 points and a draw 10 points. In a five-match series, a win will get teams 24 points, a tie 12 points and a draw 8 points.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...-0-series-win-over-table-toppers-india-919893

 

[shah_1]

NZ away tour Bangladesh . If NZ whitewash Bangladesh then it will leave NZ with 300 points and India 360 points after 4 series.

India next 4 test match series vs Australia(away), and 5 test match series vs England(home)

NZ next 3 test match series vs WI(home) and 2 test match series vs Pakistan(home)

Interesting battle for the final [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION]

 

[shah_1]

I expect 2 -1 in favour of Australia

40 points for India

If NZ can gets all the points seeing the opposition(high probality) then even 5-0 against England won't be enough. They will need to win the series against Australia to qualify for the final.

 

[Aman]

NZ away tour Bangladesh . If NZ whitewash Bangladesh then it will leave NZ with 300 points and India 360 points after 4 series.

India next 4 test match series vs Australia(away), and 5 test match series vs England(home)

NZ next 3 test match series vs WI(home) and 2 test match series vs Pakistan(home)

Interesting battle for the final [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION]

I don't think I can take losing another Final..

We've lost our last 3 Finals, two of them against Aus..

Pakistan at home and Bangladesh aren't easy either. They could prepare rank turners or roads which would make it hard to beat them.

 

[shah_1]

I don't think I can take losing another Final..

We've lost our last 3 Finals, two of them against Aus..

Pakistan at home and Bangladesh aren't easy either. They could prepare rank turners or roads which would make it hard to beat them.

Pakistan on green pitches will lose handsomely like India. Bangladesh will be a stiff challenge but NZ have done well in SC conditions against Pak, and SL

 

[MMHS]

I don't think I can take losing another Final..

We've lost our last 3 Finals, two of them against Aus..

Pakistan at home and Bangladesh aren't easy either. They could prepare rank turners or roads which would make it hard to beat them.

BD-NZ series is planned in August. First, I am not sure how many overs we will get at the peak of monsoon - it’s the impossible to play Test (even T20) at Sylhet & Chittagong that time; 80% days in Dhaka will have more than 10 mm rain and 6+ hours of dark, gloomy sky. Then, August is still within the banned period of Shakib.

I don’t think they’ll schedule Test Cricket that time (it’s still showing TBD), May be few LOs and Test later after October. But, if it’s indeed played, you can write couple of draws right now.

 

[MMHS]

I think, this NZ-IND series has benefited England most!!!!!! I didn’t know that NZ-ENG series wasn’t part of this Championship.

I guess, it’s safe to say Aussies have made it through to Finals - they have already taken maximum points against PAK, NZ and half from England. Remaining 360 points are at BD (2), SAF (3) and against IND at home (4). Minimum, they’ll get from these series is 220 points - that’s considering 2-1 in SAF, 1-1 in BD and 2-1 at home, though my hunch is that they’ll accumulate 300+

It’s between England, India & NZ for the other spot with PAK having an outside bet. Poms have 2 Tests in SRL, where they won 3-0 a year back against a better squad, 6 against PAK/WIN at home and 5 in India. At worst, they should expect around 200 points (1-1 each in next 3 series, and 0-4 in India). But, best could be 360 points from next 3 series and reach to 500 points by India tour. That means, the gap with India will be over 120 points, unless India wins at least 1 Test in Australia.

India could have sealed the final with one win in NZ, or at least avoiding a loss. I don’t think, Poms will go down 5-0 in India and Aussies won’t lose more than 1 Test at home; even which I don’t think will happen this time - two Indian pacers are 3 years older into wrong end of 30s and Bumrah doesn’t look like the same bowler any more; Ashwin also has faded with age and Indian batting doesn’t look what it was couple of years back. Won’t be surprised if it ends at 4-0 again. Kiwis are absolutely no match at home of what Aussies are at home, and Kiwis comfortably have beaten IND by 10 & 7 wickets.

 

[Ab Fan]

NZ away tour Bangladesh . If NZ whitewash Bangladesh then it will leave NZ with 300 points and India 360 points after 4 series.

India next 4 test match series vs Australia(away), and 5 test match series vs England(home)

NZ next 3 test match series vs WI(home) and 2 test match series vs Pakistan(home)

Interesting battle for the final [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION]

NZ have some easy series. Interesting really. They can beat Bangladesh convincingly IMo because they have Latham and Watling who are brilliant on slow pitches and players like Kane and Ross can't be stopped.

I think India, Australia and New Zealand are strong contenders for the finals. What are England's upcoming matches?

 

[Ab Fan]

I think, this NZ-IND series has benefited England most!!!!!! I didn’t know that NZ-ENG series wasn’t part of this Championship.

I guess, it’s safe to say Aussies have made it through to Finals - they have already taken maximum points against PAK, NZ and half from England. Remaining 360 points are at BD (2), SAF (3) and against IND at home (4). Minimum, they’ll get from these series is 220 points - that’s considering 2-1 in SAF, 1-1 in BD and 2-1 at home, though my hunch is that they’ll accumulate 300+

It’s between England, India & NZ for the other spot with PAK having an outside bet. Poms have 2 Tests in SRL, where they won 3-0 a year back against a better squad, 6 against PAK/WIN at home and 5 in India. At worst, they should expect around 200 points (1-1 each in next 3 series, and 0-4 in India). But, best could be 360 points from next 3 series and reach to 500 points by India tour. That means, the gap with India will be over 120 points, unless India wins at least 1 Test in Australia.

India could have sealed the final with one win in NZ, or at least avoiding a loss. I don’t think, Poms will go down 5-0 in India and Aussies won’t lose more than 1 Test at home; even which I don’t think will happen this time - two Indian pacers are 3 years older into wrong end of 30s and Bumrah doesn’t look like the same bowler any more; Ashwin also has faded with age and Indian batting doesn’t look what it was couple of years back. Won’t be surprised if it ends at 4-0 again. Kiwis are absolutely no match at home of what Aussies are at home, and Kiwis comfortably have beaten IND by 10 & 7 wickets.

India generally bats well in Australia. Their batting is poor in NZ and England mostly. Expect a few draws in that series. I don't think India are gonna lose 0-4 by any stretch of imagination in Australia as now they have got a lot to prove after losses in S.E.N. Probably 0-2 is a more probable result in Australia as per my understanding.

 

[Hasan123]

New Zealand and England have an excellent chance of making the final due to their fixtures coming up.

Australia will back themselves to beat India at home and Bangladesh so it is likely they will be in the final.

Man this test championship is going to be so exciting.

 

[MMHS]

India generally bats well in Australia. Their batting is poor in NZ and England mostly. Expect a few draws in that series. I don't think India are gonna lose 0-4 by any stretch of imagination in Australia as now they have got a lot to prove after losses in S.E.N. Probably 0-2 is a more probable result in Australia as per my understanding.

I also thought so, but recent Tests against NZ & us (BD) has shattered my confidence on Indian batting. For every batting lineup, you need a leader and that was provided by Kohli, Pujara last two times. Almost certainly Pujara won’t reach that level next time (he’ll be 33) while Kohli will be fighting a lone battle, because I think Rahne will be targeted by Aussies.

Still, batting won’t be the biggest issue, what will be in bowling. These 5 men Indian attack has formed a formidable unit in last few years, but they are now heading to the wrong side of age - Ishant, Umesh, Shami into mid 30s (I know their certificate age), Ashwin also has aged poorly for a spinner, Jadeja wasn’t going to be a big factor any way. Their catching too has gone to all time low in my memory!!!! Overall, India is likely to face the consequence of a successful team for a long period - too many players heading to down slope together, and replacements are not properly groomed.

I hope, it’s a competitive series, but I fear for the worst - team India is heading to a similar situation of 2010-11 period and they’ll face the most brutal, blood thirsty opponents - waiting with vengeance.

 

[aloo paratha]

If NZ whitewash their next 3 opponents, which is quite likely as they are Bangladesh away, as well as West Indies and Pakistan at home, they will finish with 540 points.

India will finish with 540 points if they draw the series in Australia 2-2, and whitewash England, which are both unlikely results. India will lose 2-1 at best in Australia imo, and I think England will manage a win or draw in one test. India will most likely finish with 486 points (1-3 in Aus, 4-1 vs Eng)

NZ vs India has really made it tough for India to qualify for the final.

 

[MenInG]

If most of the year is wiped out due to current crisis, should this championship be extended for another year to give all teams the best chance to catch up?

 

[Ab Fan]

If NZ whitewash their next 3 opponents, which is quite likely as they are Bangladesh away, as well as West Indies and Pakistan at home, they will finish with 540 points.

India will finish with 540 points if they draw the series in Australia 2-2, and whitewash England, which are both unlikely results. India will lose 2-1 at best in Australia imo, and I think England will manage a win or draw in one test. India will most likely finish with 486 points (1-3 in Aus, 4-1 vs Eng)

NZ vs India has really made it tough for India to qualify for the final.

Interesting. I think India will lose to Australia 0-2 away but beat England 4-0 at home.

NZ will draw to Bangladesh 1-1 away, whitewash Windies and beat Pakistan or later might manage one win to draw the series. What will be the total then?

Btw, will all these matches get postpone and then so would the test championship final, lol?

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

If most of the year is wiped out due to current crisis, should this championship be extended for another year to give all teams the best chance to catch up?

Problem with that MIG is that the Ashes in Nov 2021 is part of the second World Test Championship cycle.
Likewise England vs India in July and August 2021 is part of the second World Test Championship cycle.
The final is in June 2021.
Obviously you can only stage international cricket in England in May-September really, the country where the final is staged.

If this isolation goes on too long there are three solutions in order to ensure a June 2021 final is on time:
- All remaining 16.5 series to be played will be 2 Tests long only which is the bare minimum. Still it is 120 points per series if you do this which was always the key figure in the World Test Championship.
- Extend the deadline for completing the series from March 2021 till May 2021.
- Perhaps play the England vs Pakistan Tests in April and May 2021 if no cricket this summer or there is only one Test series this summer vs WI.

 

[Aman]

If most of the year is wiped out due to current crisis, should this championship be extended for another year to give all teams the best chance to catch up?

Has to happen?

 

[Firebat]

Big Three Want ICC to Scrap World Test Championship: Report

The big three of international cricket BCCI, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia have written to the ICC, urging them to scrap the World Test Championship and instead have the Future Tour Programs revised.

With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in cricket tours being affected, the ECB on behalf of all three boards has also requested the parent body to can the 2020-22 Cricket World Cup Super League which is in the pipeline.

“This is an ongoing discussion right now. There’s absolutely no leadership coming out of the ICC whatsoever,” a leading administrator told Times of India on Thursday.

The proposal was reportedly taken up first during the ICC’s meeting with the member nations in late March. The idea behind this proposal is to give bilateral series more importance, whereas the WTC and the ODI league face uncertain futures going forward. Moreover, with the IPL and ICC media rights up for grabs next year, ECB and CA are preparing themselves to grab hold of the big fish.

“What the ICC is trying to do is propose and schedule more official tournaments, which will do nothing but eat into the bilateral windows of its own member boards. No member board that is potentially sitting on a healthy media rights deal will agree to this,” sources in the mix of things had to say.

Meanwhile, the ICC is serious contemplating options to ensure the completion of the current World Test Championship, the final of which is to be played at Lord’s in June next year. In the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic, word is that the ICC does not want to leave a newly-introduced tournament, considered highly important in reviving the declining popularity of Test cricket midway, and hence is willing to pull out all the stops. However, it may be easier said than done.

“They (ICC) are consulting with members on understanding their priorities over the coming months. These are very early stages and a meeting will be held at the end of the month. With regard to the FTP it will have to be revisited as members start to understand what can be rescheduled and what can’t,” sources add further.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...o-scrap-world-test-championship-report-925849

 

[MenInG]

The prospect of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final taking place in 2021 will hinge on whether England can salvage a cricket season this year and get their home series against West Indies and Pakistan played.

The International Cricket Council announced on Thursday that, following a conference call with its various national chief executives in response to the Covid-19 situation, decisions on whether to postpone the men’s T20 World Cup in October, the women’s World Cup in February and the WTC final next June have all been deferred.

But while Australia and New Zealand, respective hosts of the first two tournaments, may wait as late as July to make final decisions, the fate of the WTC final could come sooner when the ECB establishes how much of its summer is damaged.

The nine teams in the WTC need to have played six series apiece by the time the top two – currently India and Australia – play off for the trophy at Lord’s in June 2021 and, though a number are already starting to be postponed, the southern summer later in the year offers an outside chance of playing catch-up.

Joe Root’s England side have played two series but are already in arrears after their tour of Sri Lanka was abandoned in March. Should they fail to host West Indies and Pakistan at home this year – both must be a minimum of two Tests – all three series would need to be played on the road next winter, on top of a five-Test visit to India from January.

“The World Test Championship final next year lives and dies by whether England can host international cricket this summer,” one chief executive told the Guardian. “If England fall three series behind, it’s done.”

The ICC conceded that the future tours programme will now need to be redrawn up to the year 2023 regardless while the chair of its medical committee, Dr Peter Harcourt, went on to stress the challenge in staging the two global tournaments.

Harcourt said: “Our next step is to create a roadmap for the resumption of international cricket which will include a criteria for decision-making and a checklist for what needs to happen. This will consider everything from player preparation to government restrictions and advisories and ‘bio-bubbles’. The scale and complexity of getting cricket started again cannot be underestimated.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...p-final-hinges-on-england-playing-this-summer

 

[Junaids]

Why can’t they just combine the 2019-21 and 2021-23 cycles?

It would mean all teams playing each other home and away (apart from India and Pakistan) and that is inherently fairer.

 

[HitWicket]

Why can’t they just combine the 2019-21 and 2021-23 cycles?

It would mean all teams playing each other home and away (apart from India and Pakistan) and that is inherently fairer.

How do you come to the conclusion that they'd all play each other home and away? Each team would play a total of 6 home and 6 away series but there's 9 in the competition.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

Why can’t they just combine the 2019-21 and 2021-23 cycles?

It would mean all teams playing each other home and away (apart from India and Pakistan) and that is inherently fairer.

Yeah that’s the best idea. Or postpone the final to 2022 or 2023 and just push everything back.

They should try to play the WT20 behind closed doors at 2 venues (MCG, SCG) to ensure proper sanitation and social distancing.

 

[MenInG]

West Indies fast bowling great Michael Holding has termed the World Test Championship’s points system as “ridiculous”, where some of the Tests will be rendered inconsequential once teams realise that they can’t finish in top two in the points table.

As per the current points system, the value for each Test match win in a two-match series is 60 points a game. However, if it’s a five-match series, the value of a Test match win is reduced to 24. So basically, a team can gain up to 120 points from a series, regardless of the number of matches.

The top two then qualify for the final. The Test Championship, which is scheduled to finish with a final at Lord’s in June 2021, was introduced by the ICC last year in a bid to revive bilateral Test cricket.

“It doesn’t work,” Holding told Wisden Cricket Monthly during a round table when asked if the Test championship was achieving what it was designed for.

“First of all the points system is ridiculous. You can’t play five Test matches and get the same amount of points if you play two Test matches.

Sunil Gavaskar: Much more to life than sports

“And secondly, at some point you’re going to have teams who know they cannot get to the final and so those Test matches aren’t going to be all that entertaining. People know it’s just another game.”

England fast bowler Chris Woakes, who was also part of the roundtable, said the points system might need to be tweaked in future.

“The New Zealand series (England lost 1-0 away to the Black Caps last winter) wasn’t part of the World Test Championship but that defeat didn’t affect us any less as players,” Woakes said.

“I think the system might need a bit of tinkering with in the future. Anyone can turn someone over in a one-off final, depending on the toss or conditions. If there was more time in the calendar they could do a three-match final but unfortunately there just isn’t,” he said.

India is currently leading the World Test Championship which has been thrown out of gear due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the postponement of a number of series.

In February this year, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had said there are elements of the points system used for the World Test Championship which are “unfair”.

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...-system-ridiculous-unfair/article31494886.ece

 

[BoomBoomCricket]

 

[Junaids]

England’s home defeat against the West Indies just cost them 40 points.

Pakistan should really be looking to secure third place, especially considering how well acclimatised to English conditions they are going to be.

So currently:

India 360 points out of 480.
Australia 296 points out of 360.
New Zealand 180 points out of 360.
England 146 points out of 280.
Pakistan 140 points out of 300.
Sri Lanka 80 points out of 240.
West Indies 40 points out of 160.
South Africa 24 points out of 240.
Bangladesh 0 points out of 180.

 

[Titan24]

England’s home defeat against the West Indies just cost them 40 points.

Pakistan should really be looking to secure third place, especially considering how well acclimatised to English conditions they are going to be.

So currently:

India 360 points out of 480.
Australia 296 points out of 360.
New Zealand 180 points out of 360.
England 146 points out of 280.
Pakistan 140 points out of 300.
Sri Lanka 80 points out of 240.
West Indies 40 points out of 160.
South Africa 24 points out of 240.
Bangladesh 0 points out of 180.

What is to be done with the points of the cancelled Pak vs BD test match?