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The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is a premier international cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The championship was introduced to bring greater context and significance to Test cricket, the longest and oldest format of the game. The ICC World Test Championship operates on a league system, consisting of the top nine Test-playing nations. The participating teams are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies currently. Each team plays a series of Test matches against six other teams, with three series being played at home and three away, making a total of nine series for each team.
Points are awarded for each Test match win or draw, but no points are awarded for a loss. The number of points awarded depends on the result and the number of matches in the series. For example, a win in a two-match series might earn a team fewer points than a win in a five-match series. n the event of a draw, both teams receive points, and the distribution is based on the percentage of total points available in that series. This ensures that teams are rewarded for competitive draws.
To ensure fairness, each team plays three series at home and three away during the qualification period. The venue rotation is designed to expose teams to different playing conditions, thereby testing their adaptability and skill in diverse cricketing environments. At the end of the league stage, the top two teams in the points table qualify for the ICC World Test Championship Final. The final is a standalone match, usually held at a neutral venue. Two finals have been played as of now. The first one was played between India and New Zealand at Southampton in 2021. New Zealand managed to beat India in that. The second final was held in 2023 between India and Australia. Australia managed to beat India in that.
Ravichandran Ashwin Wants A Three-Match Test Series In The WTC Final
In case of a tie in points between teams, several tiebreakers come into play. These include the number of series wins, the number of matches won, and the overall run rate, among other criteria. The ICC World Test Championship operates on a cycle that spans two years. The current cycle covers a set period, and a new cycle begins once the final of the existing cycle is completed.
India has lost two finals but has been the best test team over the years. They are highly dominant at home and even registered series wins in Australia, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, tied series in England, and won historic games in South Africa. However, they have failed to reciprocate that in the ultimate game. After the 2023 WTC final, captain Rohit Sharma wanted a three-game series in the final. Many others have also proposed that idea.
Now, India’s premier test spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin has also broken the silence. He said: “Yes, we lost two WTC finals, I accept it wholeheartedly. But in a case of Test series, a comeback is always possible. We played New Zealand in England, then we played Australia in England; we lost both. But was there a chance of comeback if we played two more Test?” It’s just fine margins. So, should the WTC final be played as a series? Is there a window available for it? The ICC should decide that.”
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