NEW DELHI: India kicked off their long 10-match Test season in style with a commanding win against Bangladesh in Chennai on Sunday.
The Rohit Sharma-led team dominated the opening Test of the two-match series. The game wrapped up in under four days, with India securing a 280-run victory. This victory not only gave India a 1-0 lead in the series but also cemented their top position on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.
Following this triumph, India's WTC points percentage (PCT) jumped to 71.67, with 86 points from 10 Tests. Prior to the series, India were already leading the WTC table, but this win widened their lead over second-placed Australia by 9.17 PCT.
The victory has significantly improved India's prospects of reaching the WTC final for the third consecutive time. However, they still need at least four more wins in the remaining nine Tests to guarantee their spot. These Tests include the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur next week, a three-match home series against New Zealand next month, and the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Bangladesh, who enjoyed a notable rise to the fourth spot after a historic 2-0 whitewash against Pakistan last month, slipped to the sixth position after this defeat. Their PCT also dropped from 45.83 to 39.29.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on how India perform in the remaining fixtures. Each match is crucial for maintaining their stronghold at the top of the WTC table and securing a spot in the finals.
