WTC 2025 Points Table: India jump over Australia to No 1 position after huge Perth win, can Rohit Sharma’s side make the final
Team India have shot back into contention to assure themselves of a berth in a third successive World Test Championships (WTC) final after their massive 295-run win over Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Monday. Needing to win four out of the five Tests in this series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), India have taken the first big step under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah, who was stepping in for regular skipper Rohit Sharma in this game.
The 295-run win was Team India’s largest win against Australia away from home in terms of runs, surpassing their 222-run triumph in Melbourne back in 1977. The victory propelled India to the top of the WTC 2025 points table with a points percentage of 61.11, while Australia dropped to second place with 57.69.
Before India cemented its authority by kicking off the BGT with an emphatic 295-run victory, the visitors held the second spot with a point percentage of 58.33 per cent. India had eight wins and five defeats in 14 matches. India still need to win three out of the remaining four Tests to assure themselves of a berth in the WTC 2025 final.
India leapfrog Australia to reclaim the #WTC25 Standings summit following a massive win in the Border-Gavaskar series opener #AUSvIND | https://t.co/6O3r9MB6ry pic.twitter.com/g9YNnYGt6y
— ICC (@ICC) November 25, 2024
Australia moved to the top after India’s historic home Test series whitewash against New Zealand. Australia topped the charts with a point percentage of 62.50 per cent.
This was the second instance of India winning a Test series opener in Australia after the renowned success in Adelaide in 2018. The intent was clear when Bumrah made a brave call to bat first after winning the toss. Heads dropped, and confidence dwindled when India folded on 150 in the first innings.
Everything pointed towards Australia putting the visitors on the back foot, especially after India’s 3-0 home series defeat humiliation against New Zealand. Bumrah became the beacon of hope with his rollicking spell in the first innings. He rattled Australia’s top-order with Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana providing the ideal support.
After inflicting heavy damage late on Day 3, leaving Australia struggling at 12/3, India required just seven more wickets to seal the game on Day 4. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj picked up a pair of wickets during the opening session as India moved within sight of victory at lunch on the fourth day of the first Test against Australia in Perth.
Siraj claimed the key wickets of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith with some superb fast bowling as Australia moved to 104/5 after one session on Monday and still requiring a further 430 runs for an unlikely victory.
Australia lost the dangerous Travis Head soon after Lunch on a well-made 89, as Bumrah snapped his third wicket of the innings, breaking a solid 81-run sixth-wicket stand. Four overs later, Nitish Reddy bowled Mitchell Marsh (47) to leave Australia reeling on 182/7.
Jasprit Bumrah, standing in as captain in full-time skipper Rohit Sharma’s absence, swung the momentum back in India’s favor with a brilliant five-wicket haul that restricted Australia to just 104.