Team India suffers a significant setback, drops to THIS position following defeat to Australia in Pink Ball Test

New Delhi: In a stunning display of dominance, Australia achieved a resounding 10-wicket victory over India in the second Test of the ongoing five-match series at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, December 8. With a commanding 157-run lead in the first innings, Australia bowled out India for a mere 175 in the second innings. The Australian team then effortlessly chased down the 19-run target in just 3.2 overs without losing a single wicket.

Australia’s dominant victory over India in the pink-ball Test has propelled them back to the No. 1 spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings, with a percentage of 60.71%. Meanwhile, India’s second consecutive defeat in a day-night Test at Adelaide has dropped them to No. 3, with a percentage of 57.29%.

South Africa is now at No. 2 in the World Test Championship standings with a percentage of 59.26%. They can jump to the top if they win the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka at St. George’s Park in Gqeberha.

New Zealand, the champion of 2021, have slipped to No. 6 position in the WTC standings for 2023-25 after losing to England on the second Test. In Basin Reserve in Wellington on Sunday, England won the series by 323 runs.

Australian captain Pat Cummins took impressive figures of 5 for 57 in the second innings. After already getting rid of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma on Day 2, Cummins again struck on Day 3, sending back Ravichandran Ashwin (7), Harshit Rana (0), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42) in the first session. Ashwin was caught behind by wicketkeeper Alex Carey, Rana was caught by Usman Khawaja, and Nathan McSweeney took the catch to send back Reddy.

In addition to Pat Cummins’ stellar performance, left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc also contributed with a wicket on Sunday, while India’s No. 11 batter, Mohammed Siraj, was dismissed by Scott Boland, further sealing Australia’s dominance in the match.

Similar to the first innings, Nitish Kumar Reddy was India’s top run-scorer in the second innings. The 21-year-old cricketer from Andhra faced 47 balls, striking six fours and one six during his stay at the crease.