Gill era off to a rocky start as India sinks to bottom of World Test Championship table

The 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle has kicked off with high-intensity action, featuring three early series that have set the tone for the tournament. Australia and England have taken an early lead on the WTC table, both holding a flawless Points Percentage (PCT) of 100 after winning their opening matches. Sri Lanka follows in third, having secured a series win and a draw against Bangladesh, who currently sit in fourth with a mixed start.

India, however, have faced a setback, losing their opening match against England in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Despite five Indian batters scoring centuries and a spirited fightback, Shubman Gill’s side fell short due to a middle-order collapse and key fielding lapses. England successfully chased a daunting target of 371, thanks to a dominant start from Ben Duckett (149) and Zak Crawley, followed by an unbeaten finishing partnership from Joe Root and debutant Jamie Smith.

Gill acknowledged that India missed critical opportunities and that a lack of lower-order contributions hindered their ability to build a stronger lead. With this loss, India joins West Indies near the bottom of the standings.

South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan have yet to begin their WTC 2025-27 campaigns. The ongoing cycle began with Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh on June 17 and will culminate in the WTC final in 2027. As India prepares for the second Test at Edgbaston, they aim to recover quickly and keep their championship hopes alive. (With inputs from Agencies)