Ten games in 2025 – 2027 World Test Championship

The Hundred may well be taking centre-stage across English cricket at the moment but there can be no doubt that the recently concluded five-match England vs India Test series has given a huge boost to the format as well as this edition of the World Test Championship (WTC).

South Africa are the current holders, after their victory over Australia to end the 2023-2025 cycle surprised many punters and betting experts alike, but they are yet to begin this campaign and it’s the Aussies who sit in first place after winning their first three games.

Cricket365 checks in at this early stage of the competition, as well as looking at what’s to come across the rest of 2025.

Three Series Completed

Bangaldesh vs Sri Lanka

It was only three days after the final between South Africa and Australia that the 2025-2027 WTC got underway with Sri Lanka touring Bangladesh for a two-test series.

A century in both games from Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka was enough for him to win the Player of the Series award and contributed to the Lions returning home with a 1-0 victory.

The 16 points out of 24 contested means that Sri Lanka currently sit in second place on 66.67% whereas Bangladesh are in fifth.

●  First Test – Drawn

●  Second Test – Sri Lanka won by an innings and 78 runs.

England vs India

Plenty of pundits predicted a closely contested series but few expected the five-matches to deliver the most entertaining and nail-biting Test series in the UK since the 2005 Ashes!

England twice went ahead in the series but India bounced back two times of their own, the second in the final Test at The Oval with Shubman Gill’s side winning by just six runs.

Among other moments, the sights of Rishabh Pant hobbling down the stairs on his way out to bat at the Emirates Old Trafford and Chris Woakes going out to bat at The Oval with his arm in a sling will live long in the memory.

The hosts were deducted two points for a slow over-rate during the third Test which means it’s India who currently sit just outside the top two with England in fourth.

●  First Test – England won by five wickets

●  Second Test – India won by 336 runs

●  Third Test – England won by 22 runs

●  Fourth Test – Drawn

●  Fifth Test – India won by six runs

West Indies vs Australia

A 3-0 series victory for Australia does not tell the whole story but it is fair to say that West Indies plummeted to a new depth across the final week of June and the first fortnight in July.

Australia’s first innings totals averaged just over 230, a figure which would normally mean at least one defeat but fortunately for the tourists, their hosts were even worse at batting.

West Indies carried a ten run lead into the second half of the first Test but were unable to do the same in the second and third. The final Test in Jamaica was one to forget for the West Indian batters who made a combined 170 runs including the second lowest Test total ever of 27 in the fourth innings of the game.

And at the end of the series, it’s Australia at the top and West Indies at the bottom of the WTC.

●  First Test – Australia won by 159 runs

●  Second Test – Australia won by 133 runs

●  Third Test – Australia won by 176 runs

And That’s It Until October

Zimbabwe and New Zealand may be fighting it out in a two-Test series right now but it is not part of the WTC and we have to wait until October before the tournament recommences.

●  October – Pakistan vs South Africa – Two Tests

●  October – India vs West Indies – Two Tests

But it is the following month which is likely to get the juices flowing for Test cricket once again.

World Test Championship: November – December

Friday 14th November will see India taking on South Africa at the world famous Eden Gardens and the hosts will be keen to assess themselves against the current champions over two Tests.

But a week after that series begins, the latest Ashes series gets underway in Perth, Western Australia with the trash-talk already started by David Warner this week.

England’s record in Australia has been abysmal since they won 3-1 in 2010/11 and they have failed to win any of their subsequent 15 Tests down-under. But everything is possible in this ‘Bazball’ era and Australia’s batting efforts in the Caribbean during June and July offer plenty of encouragement for England fans.

December will also see New Zealand become the ninth and final side in this edition to get their campaign underway when they play three Tests at home against West Indies. As ever, the Black Caps may go under the radar, but after winning the inaugural WTC in 2021, they should never be written off.