November 3, 2024: India has slipped to second place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle following their historic whitewash by New Zealand. The defeat in the third Test at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium marked India’s first-ever series whitewash at home in a Test series of three or more matches.

New Zealand made headlines with a remarkable performance, highlighted by Ajaz Patel’s ten-wicket haul and crucial fifties from Will Young, leading to a 25-run victory. This outcome has not only affected India’s morale but also their standing in the WTC, as their point percentage fell to 58.33%.

With Australia now holding the top spot at 62.50%, the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series will be crucial for India as they aim to reclaim their position. New Zealand’s win also helped them regain the fourth spot in the standings, now at 54.55%, following South Africa’s recent whitewash of Bangladesh. The shifting dynamics in the WTC standings set the stage for an exciting contest as teams vie for a place in the final.