India will look to close the gap with table-toppers Australia in the ICC World Test Championship points table after their series-opening pink-ball Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
Australia and India will fight it out in a four-Test series as the hosts look to build on their narrow lead at the top of the table.
Currently, India are in third place in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings with 114 rating points while Australia top the rankings with 116.46 rating points. New Zealand, who play Pakistan next, follow closely at second with 116.37 rating points.
India will feel the pressure as the race to the World Test Championship final heats up. New Zealand are very close to reaching the ICC World Test Championship final in 2021 after securing back-to-back innings victories against the West Indies.
If New Zealand overcome Pakistan 2-0 in the two-Test series which starts on 26 December, they will finish on 420 points from five series. That will leave India needing five wins or four wins and three draws out of their last eight Tests, which include facing Australia away and hosting England for a four-Test series beginning in February 2021.
Depending on how India’s series against Australia and New Zealand’s series against Pakistan goes, Australia could build their lead at number one or make way for New Zealand at the top.
The factor that determines the final placings is now percentage points, following a change to the points system announced earlier, owing to the disruption of international cricket due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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