Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has confirmed his decision to retire after the 2027 ODI World Cup, stating that his country's potential entry into the World Test Championship (WTC) for the 2027-30 cycle will not alter his plans. He believes WTC entry will significantly boost Zimbabwe's cricketing growth and also discussed the challenges of home advantage for the 2027 World Cup and highlighted promising young talents.
Pakistan's cricket team has been fined 50 per cent of their match fee and docked 11 World Test Championship points due to a slow over-rate during their third Test against England in Birmingham, a match they lost by 8 wickets, contributing to a 0-3 series whitewash.
Shuffle in WTC Standings After Pakistan sanctions
Shubman Gill remains hopeful of India reaching the WTC final, but the team must win at least six of their remaining seven Tests.
The draw in the second Test saw India miss out on a chance to improve their position in the ICC World Test Championship standings.
Bangladesh have moved above India to fourth position in the ICC World Test Championship standings after securing a historic nine-wicket victory against Australia in the first Test in Darwin.
Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has become the leading wicket-taker in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) history, surpassing teammates Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
India secured a comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test, improving their World Test Championship points percentage. However, despite the win, their path to the WTC final has become significantly more challenging, requiring them to win almost all their remaining matches due to a tightly packed table and other teams' results.
Former head coach Rahul Dravid believes India have 'fallen behind' in the World Test Championship final qualification race, highlighting the upcoming New Zealand series as a significant challenge for the young team.
Two-time finalists India are placed fifth and face a challenging path to secure a top-two finish.
Shubman Gill, India's Test captain, expresses comfort with his leadership role and highlights the team's progress. He acknowledges the challenge of qualifying for the World Test Championship final, requiring significant wins in upcoming matches. Gill also discusses the honour of leading India in its 600th Test and shares insights on playing conditions in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Pakistan. Kusal Mendis will captain the side for the first time in Tests, taking over from Dhananjaya de Silva. The series, part of the WTC cycle, begins November 9 in Pakistan.
Aakash Chopra believes India faces a challenging path to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final, even if they register a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka.
The Oval in London has been confirmed as the venue for the 2027 ICC World Test Championship Final, scheduled from June 9-13. This marks the second time The Oval will host the final, having previously done so in 2023. Nine teams are currently competing in the ongoing WTC cycle, with Australia leading the standings, followed by South Africa and New Zealand, as the race intensifies with crucial upcoming series.
England's aspirations for a maiden World Test Championship final appearance have been significantly impacted after they were docked 12 points due to a slow over-rate during their recent defeat to New Zealand at The Oval. The penalty, alongside a 50% match fee fine, has caused their points percentage to drop, making their path to the final more challenging.
Fast bowler Akash Deep is expected to be recalled to India's Test squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, following a successful return to domestic cricket after a seven-month injury layoff. The selection committee is also set to pick squads for T20Is, ODIs, and India A's shadow tour.
Following South Africa's defeat in the 1st Test in Durban on Tuesday, October 13, Herschelle Gibbs wants Kagiso Rabada back, Marques Ackerman included and Ryan Rickelton moved down the order to keep wickets in the 2nd Test.
New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke has been officially ruled out of the highly anticipated home series against India and is expected to return in late December.
Australia and South Africa are set to begin a three-match Test series in Durban, with both teams looking for a boost after recent setbacks. The pitch at Kingsmead is expected to favour spinners, a departure from South Africa's usual seamer-friendly conditions, potentially influencing team selections.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has become the country's highest run-scorer in ICC World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill, and also overtook MS Dhoni as India's highest run-scorer as a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests.
The Indian cricket team has fallen to sixth place in the latest World Test Championship (WTC) rankings after Bangladesh's series win against Pakistan.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna discusses his renewed determination after an injury lay-off, focusing on the upcoming five-Test series against Australia and its significance in the World Test Championship cycle. He also shares insights into the mental and physical demands of rehabilitation and the challenges of playing in New Zealand.
Shubman Gill called India's drawn second Test against Sri Lanka frustrating but praised his players' effort, cleared Mohammad Siraj of injury concerns and backed India's WTC qualification hopes.
India have rested Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya from the Ireland and England tours as selectors prioritise the pacer's role in the World Test Championship and Pandya's importance to India's ODI World Cup plans.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has issued a stern warning to the Indian team ahead of their crucial Test series against Sri Lanka.
A world-class Test team can't afford to have a bowling attack that allows batters to feel comfortable. To be the world's best Test team, all departments of the game should be strong and striking.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has expressed his strong desire to play Test cricket, aiming for a spot in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, as the team grapples with significant struggles in its pace department.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir indicated that top batters might be rested from white-ball cricket to prepare for Tests during the upcoming New Zealand tour. He emphasised the importance of Test cricket, the challenge of multi-format players, and discussed preparations for the 2027 World Cup, highlighting the crucial roles of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, and praising Shubman Gill's captaincy.
Sri Lanka's remarkable lower-order resistance helped deny India a series sweep, with the tailenders facing more deliveries than the team's openers across the series.
Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes India's recent Test struggles stem from the departure of senior players, emphasising the need for a core of seven to eight experienced cricketers in the longer format.
India is poised to secure its first overseas Test series victory in three years as they face Sri Lanka in the second and final match, with skipper Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal under pressure to deliver substantial knocks.
'There's a lot of pressure on him, and there's a lot of pressure on this series as well, because it's crucial for India's chances in the WTC.'
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has resigned from the men's national selection committee and as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy.
Pakistan were ruled to be eight overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.
Sri Lanka coach Gary Kirsten praised Sonal Dinusha's twin centuries and pressure-handling ability, while calling India's Dhruv Jurel a world-class player with superb technique and short-ball skills.
India's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has received clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence to participate in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah had been recovering from an impact injury sustained during the recent ODI series against England, which forced him to miss the third ODI. His return is crucial for India's World Test Championship aspirations.
Shubman Gill hailed Sri Lanka's gritty resistance after Sonal Dinusha's second century forced India to settle for a draw in the second Test.
India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule confirmed that Kuldeep Yadav's absence from bowling in the second innings of the warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI was a precautionary measure to assess his body after a significant workload, allaying fitness concerns.
Australia is set to host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series in the country's tropical north, marking the first time since 2003.
As India prepares for their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting August 15, the team management faces critical decisions regarding their playing XI to bolster their World Test Championship 2027 final aspirations.
