DUBAI, Feb 9: India on Tuesday slipped to fourth position in the World Test Championship rankings after their 227-run defeat to England in the opening Test in Chennai as the visitors kept alive their hopes of making the final of the inaugural event.
New Zealand have already qualified for the WTC final, to be held at Lord’s later in the year, winning 70.0 per cent of their matches (with no other series scheduled).
The victory at Chepauk lifted England to first place and 70.2 percentage points on the table and they have improved their chances of securing one of the three series results in their favour that could see them through to the final — 3-1, 3-0 or 4-0, the ICC said in a release.
India, who have slipped to fourth position with 68.3 percentage points, will now be looking to win at least two of the remaining three matches to secure a 2-1 or 3-1 result and a place in the final.
Australia will get to feature in a Trans-Tasman summit clash if the India-England series is drawn or if England win 1-0, 2-1 or 2-0, the ICC said in the release issued shortly after England’s victory.
Pakistan and South Africa are in fifth and sixth positions respectively. (PTI)
