India slip to fourth, England second in WTC Standings after Lord's thriller

London, July 14 (IANS) England’s dramatic 22-run win over India at the Lord’s not only levelled the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series 2-1 but also caused a significant shake-up in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. In a match filled with tension, skill, and emotional swings, England held their nerve on Day 5 to successfully defend a modest target of 193, bowling India out for 170 in the final session.

The result had immediate implications in the WTC 2025–27 cycle. England, which came into the Test with a points percentage (PCT) of 50, now leapfrogged India to move into joint second on the table. Their PCT jumped to 66.67, putting them on level terms with Sri Lanka and behind only Australia, who lead the standings with a perfect record so far.

India, on the other hand, slipped from second to fourth. With just one win from three matches, their PCT dropped to 33.33. The only teams currently below them are Bangladesh, with 16.67 from two games, and West Indies, who remain winless after two Tests. The remaining four teams — South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — are yet to play a full series or are mid-series, so their positions remain fluid.

The Test match at Lord’s was a rare spectacle. Both sides ended up with identical first-innings totals of 387. Joe Root’s 104 and contributions from Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse set the platform for England, while India responded through K.L. Rahul’s century, Rishabh Pant’s aggressive 74, and Ravindra Jadeja’s composed 72. Bumrah’s five-wicket haul and Sundar’s second-innings 4/22 showed the fight India brought into the game.

However, in the final innings, India were undone by early strikes from Archer, Stokes, and Carse, collapsing to 58/4 by stumps on Day 4. Jadeja tried to shepherd the lower-order and shared valiant stands with Bumrah and Siraj, but a freak dismissal — Siraj padding a ball that rolled back onto the stumps — ended the resistance, leaving India 22 runs short.

With two matches still to play in the series, both teams remain in contention, not just for the series win but also for crucial WTC points.

--IANS

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