NEW DELHI : Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has projected Sri Lanka’s chances of making it to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle final. The Indian team is in a “tough position” and a series victory by Sri Lanka over the two-time finalists could put them in the top four, said Aakash.
India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka will start on 15 August. India are now fifth on the World Test Championship rankings, with four wins and four losses from nine matches, with a Points Percentage (PCT) of 48.150.
Sri Lanka, on the other side, have a points percentage of 41.67 and is in sixth place with a victory, a loss, and two draws.
In his YouTube channel, Aakash said that if Sri Lanka sweep the series, they will make it to the finals and if India lose the series, their point percentage will go down further.
“If we lose 2-0, we will remain at only 39 percentage points, and Sri Lanka will jump to 61 percentage points, and they will be No. 4. Sri Lanka will be in the run if they beat India 2-0. Then they have a realistic chance of going forward, or else it’s a so-near-yet-so-far story for them,” Chopra said.
Aakash said that India could “gain a little” if they sweep the series but a draw would not be of any use.
“If we win this series 2-0, we will reach 57.58 percentage points. If we do a clean sweep, we will gain a little. If we draw the series 1-1, we won’t gain anything because we will be at 48.48 and Sri Lanka will be at 44.44, and the positions will remain as is,” he added.
Additionally, he projected that it would be difficult for India to qualify given their upcoming home series against Australia (a five-match series from January 2027 to March) and away Test assignment in New Zealand (two Tests from November to December), since losing one match may lose them 50 percentage points.
“Going forward, we have a two-match series in New Zealand, where it is difficult to win. Even if you lose one match, you lose 50 percentage points. It’s going to be a tough one, and after that, there are five matches against Australia in India. India is in a tough position,” Chopra added.
India’s poor record in New Zealand, where they have managed to win just twice overall and haven’t clinched a Test series since 2008/09 under MS Dhoni, does make the upcoming Test assignments look tough.
They have a poor home record against SENA countries and may find it hard even at home against Australia after being thrashed by New Zealand and South Africa in successive years.
Last year’s defeat to South Africa was their first home loss to the Proteas since 1999/00. Captain Temba Bavuma made history by winning the ICC World Test Championship against Australia and winning a series in India in the same year.
They could even have some problems against spin in Sri Lanka, after struggling against spinners in home series losses to South Africa and New Zealand.
