Australia Leapfrog India As ICC Confirms Altered Point System To Determine World Test Championship Finalists

Australia has leapfrogged India in the ICC Test Championship table after the International Cricket Council confirmed on Thursday that the points system-due to a plethora of series postponed as a result of Covid-19 pandemic- to determine the finalists of the inaugural WTC will be amended.

As opposed to the previous system where the total number of points accumulated by a team during the course of the two-year-cycle were the sole determinator as far as qualifying for the summit clash is concerned, the team’s points will now be calculated as a percentage of the total number of points that were up for grabs.

The ICC Board approved the recommendation by its cricket committee headed by former Indian captain and head-coach, Anil Kumble. Before the recommendations were approved, Virat Kohli-led India was at the numero-uno spot with a total of 360 points out of the contested 480 [4 series], followed by Australia with 296 out of 360 [3 series].

But under the new points system, India’s percentage points will now be 75%- 360 out of 480- leaving them at the second spot behind the current No.1 ranked Test team, Australia, who will have 82.2%, calculated as 296 out of 360 points they contested for across three series.

In a press release, the ICC Cheif Executive, Manu Sawhney said that even though the current regulations say that matches not completed will be treated as draws, the cricket committee decided to zero in on final WTC standings from the matches that are scheduled to be completed before the final showdown at Lord’s in June 2021.

“Both the Cricket Committee and Chief Executives Committee supported the approach of ranking teams based on completed matches and points earned as this reflects their performance and doesn’t disadvantage teams that have been unable to compete all of their matches through no fault of their own. We explored a whole range of options, but our Members felt strongly that we should proceed as planned with the first ever World Test Championship Final in June next year.”

?? Today's announcement means Australia jump past India to claim ? spot in the ICC World Test Championship ? pic.twitter.com/Pjitqfu2pg

— ICC (@ICC) November 19, 2020

How does the revamped system affect India’s chances of making it to the WTC Final?

The new system hasn’t changed the table drastically but it surely has given a team like New Zealand- who retained their 4th spot- a great chance to pip the likes of India and England. New Zealand is scheduled to play two home Tests against each of West Indies and Pakistan and if they win all four of them, then their percentage points will be 70%.

If that happens, then India’s four-match series against Australia and a five-match showdown against England at home will become very critical for Virat Kohli’s team. In case, New Zealand win all the 4 Tests, India will have to ensure that they lose no more than 2 Tests in Australia and win at least one and whitewash England 5-0 to sneak marginally [70.8] ahead of the Kiwis- 70.

England, on the other hand, will hope to reschedule the Test series against Sri Lanka to give themselves the best possible chance of qualifying.

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