For the first time since November 2025 and their humiliating 2-0 whitewash against South Africa at home, the Indian cricket team will play a match in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) when they take the field on the country’s 80th Independence Day at the Galle International Stadium against Sri Lanka in the first of two Test matches between the sides.

India’s hopes of reaching the summit clash in 2027 are in deep trouble, as they are fifth in the table at the moment with a points percentage of 48.15. So far they have played three of their six series (England, West Indies, South Africa). They have won and lost four of their nine games while drawing one.

India have nine games left in the current campaign, with two matches each coming up against Sri Lanka and New Zealand away from home before wrapping up their campaign with a five-match home series against Australia (Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027).

The reality for India is that they have no room for error, as across the first three editions, the average points percentage (PCT) of the finalist was 67.4. This means that the Shubman Gill-led side needs to improve their current PCT by nearly 20.

PCT Of All WTC Finalists Till Date

This essentially means that, to meet the average, the Indian team needs to win eight of their remaining nine games to qualify. The fewest points that a team has needed to qualify were India’s 58.8 in 2023. Even to match that, the two finalists need to win six games and not lose more than one. However, that low tally was an exception, and one would assume a minimum of 65 is needed. Even for that, the Indian team has won at least seven games. With the top two teams currently being South Africa and Australia, playing each other in a three-match series later this year, there is a chance of the barometer dropping from average.