London [UK], August 4 : Following a resilient win at The Oval to end the series with a 2-2 scoreline in England, Team India has moved to the third spot in the ICC World Test Championsips (WTC) points table, with two wins, two losses and a draw during the ongoing cycle so far.
The WTC standings have seen significant change after inspirational spells from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna helped India seal a six-run win in a thrilling showdown at The Oval to level the series 2-2.
While it is still early days in the WTC27 cycle, India managed to usurp England and move into third place in the ICC World Test Championship standings with their victory in the final Test, earning 12 crucial points. They now have 28 points on the board and a points percentage of 46.67 per cent, as per ICC.
Despite having a similar number of wins and draws as India, England sits fourth in the standings with 26 points and a points percentage of 43.33%. Their position was impacted by a two-point deduction for a slow over rate during the Lord's Test.
Australia remain at the top of the table, having won all three matches they've played in this cycle so far. Their opponents in those matches, West Indies, are yet to register a point and sit sixth in the standings, only ahead of South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan, all of whom are yet to play a game in this cycle.
Sri Lanka currently sit second in the ICC World Test Championship standings, having registered a victory and a draw in their two matches so far, giving them a points percentage of 66.67 per cent.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh are placed fifth, with just four points and a points percentage of 16.67 per cent.
After England opted to bowl first, they reduced India to 153/6. A 58-run partnership between Karun Nair (57 in 109 balls, with eight fours) and Washington Sundar (26 in 55 balls, with three fours) was the most meaningful part of the inning as India was bundled out for 224 runs. Apart from Gus Atkinson's five-wicket haul, Josh Tongue (3/57) was also good.
In the second innings, four-fers from Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) reduced England to 247, despite a 92-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (64 in 57 balls, with 14 fours) and Ben Duckett (43 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a fifty by Harry Brook (53 in 64 balls, with five fours and a six). They led by 23 runs.
In India's second innings, key contributions came from Yashasvi Jaiswal (118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes), Akash Deep (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours), Ravindra Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes). Sundar stitched a very crucial 10th wicket stand with Krishna, with the latter scoring nothing out of it and Sundar doing all the hitting.
They all took India to 396 runs, giving them a 373-run lead and setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series.
India started well, reducing England to 106/3. However, fine centuries from Harry Brook (111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes) and Joe Root (105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours) troubled India with a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. At one point, England was 317/4 on day four. However, a late surge by Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) shifted the pressure to England, and they were left six runs short, bundled out for 367 runs.
The series is drawn 2-2, reflecting the true nature of how well-fought the series was. The Shubman Gill era has started with immense promise and fight, giving signs of a bright future.