1st Test: India’s Lead Reduces In WTC Standings As NZ Jump To Fourth

Bengaluru, Oct 20: New Zealand's comfortable eight-wicket win over India in the first Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has brought in some changes to the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) standings.

As per the latest update to WTC standings, India continues to be at the top of the standings, but the defeat in Bengaluru results in their lead over second-placed Australia being reduced.

As of now, India have 68.06 point percent and have two more Tests against New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai, before leaving for playing five-match series in Australia at the end of the year, to improve it. They are then followed by Australia (62.50 percent) and Sri Lanka (55.56 percent) in the WTC standings.

On the other hand, New Zealand chasing down 107 with relative ease on day five’s play on Sunday has resulted in 2021 World Test Championship winners jumping from sixth position to fourth place, while overtaking England and South Africa – to be at fourth position with 44.44 points percentage.

New Zealand can aim for a top two finish in the WTC standings – as they have two matches against India, before hosting Ben Stokes-led England for three games. In Bengaluru, Matt Henry (5/15) and Will O'Rourke (4/22) produced stunning bowling exhibition to bowl out India for just 46 in their first innings, as New Zealand gained an upper hand early on.

After New Zealand got a 356-run lead, thanks to an excellent 134 from Rachin Ravindra, India did manage to make 462 during their second innings, thanks to a counter-attacking 177-run stand for the fourth wicket between Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99), before losing seven wickets to the second new ball brought New Zealand back in the game, and eventually win the match.

--IANS