New Zealand beat India by 113 runs in the second Test played at MCA Stadium to put India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC 2025 final in serious doubt.
India suffered a shocking defeat by 113 runs against New Zealand on Saturday (October 26) in the second Test of the ongoing three-match series played at MCA Stadium in Pune. In reply to the 359-run target, India could only manage to score 245 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 60.2 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored for the hosts by making 77 runs from 65 balls, but he lacked support from the other end.
New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who picked up 7 wickets for 53 runs in the first inning, dismissed six Indian batters in the second as well to finish the match with a total of 13 wickets.
The defeat in the second straight Test has now put India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final in serious doubt. The hosts now have to win four of the remaining six matches in the ongoing cycle to be absolutely sure of a place in the WTC 2025 final next year at Lord’s.
Despite losing two matches in a row, India sits at No. 1 position in the WTC 2023-25 points table, but the gap with Australia has now been reduced to 0.32.
India has 62.82 PCT%, whereas 2023 WTC winners Australia is in 2nd place with 62.50 PCT%. Sri Lanka sits at No. 3 position with 55.56 PCT%, and New Zealand has moved to No. 4 position with 50.00 PCT%. The 2021 WTC winners have won five out of 10 Tests played so far in the ongoing WTC cycle.
World Test Championship 2023-25 points table (after IND-NZ 2nd Test)
| POSITION | TEAM | MATCHES | WINS | DEFEATS | DRAW | PENALTY | POINTS | PCT% |
| 1. | India | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 98 | 62.82 |
| 2. | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 90 | 62.50 |
| 3. | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4. | New Zealand | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 50.00 |
| 5. | South Africa | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 47.62 |
| 6. | England | 19 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 93 | 40.79 |
| 7. | Pakistan | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 40 | 33.33 |
| 8. | Bangladesh | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 30.56 |
| 9. | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 18.52 |
South Africa is in fifth place with 47.62 PCT%, but the Proteas will guarantee themselves a finish in the top-two if they manage to win the remaining five matches of the ongoing WTC cycle. After the second Test of the ongoing series against Bangladesh in Chattogram next week, South Africa will face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in two-match Test series each in front of home fans.
England, which lost the three-match Test series against Pakistan with a scoreline of 1-2, is in sixth place with 40.79 PCT%, whereas the Shan Masood-led side has jumped to No. 7 position with 33.33 PCT%. Bangladesh and the West Indies occupy the last two positions in the WTC 2023-25 points table with 30.56 and 18.52 PCT% each.
