The Indian cricket team secured their position at the top of the World Test Championship 2023-25 points table with their convincing win against Australia in the first Test of the ongoing series. Captain Virat Kohli showed his batting prowess with an unbeaten century, breaking multiple records in the process. This win puts India in a strong position to qualify for the WTC 2025 final at Lord's next year.
Background
The World Test Championship (WTC) is an international cricket competition that was inaugurated in 2019. It is contested by the top nine Test-playing nations over a two-year cycle, with the winner qualifying for the final.
India's Resurgence
After a disappointing campaign in the inaugural WTC cycle, India has rebounded strongly in the current edition. Led by captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, the team has won six out of seven matches so far, including a convincing victory over arch-rivals Australia in the first Test of the ongoing series.
Convincing Win against Australia
In the first Test against Australia, India batted first and posted a mammoth 571 runs for the loss of seven wickets, thanks to centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Australia were dismissed for 326 and 291 in their two innings, giving India a comfortable victory by 8 wickets.
Kohli's Record-Breaking Century
Virat Kohli was in sublime form in Adelaide, scoring an unbeaten 123 in India's first innings. This century marked several milestones for the Indian captain:
Top Position in Points Table
India's victory over Australia has propelled them to the top of the WTC points table with 75 percentage points. They are now well-placed to qualify for the WTC 2025 final at Lord's next year.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Who is the current World Test Champion?
2. Which team has won the most World Test Championships?
3. How many teams qualify for the WTC final?
4. Where will the WTC 2025 final be held?
5. Which team has the highest percentage points in the current WTC cycle?
Fox Sports 1 has reportedly canceled three of its shows - Speak, The Facility, and Breakfast Ball - which were struggling to find a large audience. Hosted by Joy Taylor, Speak featured co-hosts Keyshawn Johnson and NBA player Paul Pierce, while The Facility was co-hosted by Emmanuel Acho. The network has yet to release an official statement about the cancellations, but Taylor continues to post on Instagram and Acho has hinted at the departure on social media.
Mitchell Starc, playing his 100th Test match for Australia, proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with as he helped his team secure a whitewash against the West Indies. Despite a quiet performance in the first innings, Starc bounced back in style with a three-wicket haul in the first over of the second innings, including his 400th Test wicket. He went on to break records and clinch a quick 5-wicket haul, with the support of his teammates, as Australia dominated the Caribbean team and secured a 3-0 series victory.
The Liverpool team is kicking off their pre-season with a bang, securing wins on and off the field. With a 3-1 victory over Preston North End, they have shown their strength and unity as a team. However, their transfer activity has also been intense, already spending over £200m and showing interest in players like Rodrygo and Alexander Isak. Fans can stay updated on all the latest news and gossip with the Echo's live blog.
The transfer window is in full swing in the Premier League, with Liverpool eyeing up a potential move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. The Reds have already secured the signings of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, and are now looking to bolster their defense with the addition of Guehi, whose contract with the Eagles is set to expire. Meanwhile, Manchester United have their sights set on Bryan Mbeumo, while former stars have left the club for a combined fee of £100m. Arsenal are also working hard to improve their squad, with a potential move for Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres in the works. In other news, Marti Cifuentes has been named the new Leicester City manager, while AC Milan have reportedly made a £52m bid for Liverpool target Darwin Nunez. Stay tuned for all the latest transfer updates in the Premier League and beyond.
In a heated transfer battle, Newcastle United's attempt to secure the signing of Hugo Ekitike has been rejected by Eintracht Frankfurt, who turned down the Magpies' record-breaking bid of £70m. Despite Newcastle's persistence in negotiations, Frankfurt remains firm on their valuation of £85m for the highly sought-after striker. This setback comes after Newcastle held talks with Ekitike's representatives in Austria, signaling their strong interest in bringing him to play alongside Alexander Isak.
As the Premier League transfer window heats up, Liverpool have made a statement by rejecting a big offer from Bayern Munich for Pedro Diaz. Meanwhile, Manchester United are looking to secure a deal for Bryan Mbeumo before next Tuesday, but questions arise about their transfer tactics. Chelsea, Everton, and Brentford have also made recent signings, but clubs like Sunderland and Newcastle are still on the lookout. As fans eagerly anticipate more updates, they can share their thoughts by clicking "Get Involved" at the top of the page.
Markus Babbel, former Liverpool defender, believes that the club's signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz is the best signing of the summer transfer window. Despite the whopping British-record fee of £116 million, Babbel asserts that Wirtz's class justifies the price and that even if rivals Manchester United had signed him, he would hold the same sentiment. Wirtz, who spent five years at Leverkusen, is expected to make a huge impact alongside top players like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah under manager Arne Slot. The 22-year-old has expressed his ambition to win everything with Liverpool every year.
Despite Liverpool's efforts to secure a £120m deal for striker Alexander Isak, Newcastle remains firm on their decision not to sell him. The 25-year-old has gained interest from top Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal due to his impressive performances for the Magpies. However, Newcastle remains adamant on keeping Isak despite the tempting offer. Liverpool's move to acquire Isak is also seen as an attempt to disrupt his focus, as he has shown no desire to leave St James' Park. The Reds are on the lookout for a new No 9 and are expected to lose Darwin Nunez this summer.
Liverpool has rejected Bayern Munich's first official offer of £58.5m for their star winger Luis Diaz. This comes after earlier reports from Sky Sports News that Liverpool had made it clear that Diaz is not available for sale. However, Bayern are preparing another offer for the player, as they believe he is eager to join the German champions. It remains to be seen if Liverpool will consider a further bid from the Bundesliga side.
After meeting with England's King Charles III, Indian men's Test captain Shubman Gill shared that the monarch had expressed his sympathy towards the unfortunate dismissal of Mohammed Siraj in the Lord's Test. Gill and the King discussed the match and the captain admitted that it was unlucky for India to lose in that manner. The women's team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, also shared her experience meeting the King and talked about the rise of women's cricket.