India jump to second place on updated WTC points table

On February 18, 2024, India beat England by 434 runs – their biggest margin of victory in the format by runs – to go 2-1 up in the five-match Test series.

Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (112) lifted India after Mark Wood (4-114) had reduced them to 33-3. They eventually made 445, but Ben Duckett (153) took the attack to the Indian camp, and England were in the game at 224-2 on the third morning.

However, despite R Ashwin’s absence, England collapsed to 319 as Mohammed Siraj (4-84) led the rout. Yashasvi Jaiswal (214 not out with a joint world record 12 sixes) and Shubman Gill (91) then helped India declare on 430-4 and set England an improbable 557.

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England were reduced to 50-7, then 91-9, before they avoided the ignominy of being bowled out for under a hundred. They eventually made 122 as Jadeja finished with 5-41 to win the Player of the Match award.

With four wins and a draw from seven games and a PCT of 59.52, India are now second on the points table, behind only New Zealand’s 75 (three wins in four). India leapfrogged Australia, whose six wins and a draw from 10 games have fetched them a PCT of 55, when penalty points for slow over-rates are considered.

Australia are followed by Bangladesh (50 after two Test matches), Pakistan (36.67 after five), and the West Indies (33.33 after four). Having lost a Test series against New Zealand for the first time, South Africa are now seventh, with a PCT of 25 after four games.

England are now eighth. They had a PCT of 29.17 after the win at Hyderabad, but that has now dropped to 21.87, after eight Test matches. They are above only Sri Lanka, who are yet to open their account after two games.