India have boosted their chances in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 prospects after defeating Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at Galle. With the win, the Indian team have taken a 1-0 lead in the series.
Batting first, India piled up 462, with Devdutt Padikkal producing a magnificent maiden Test century and finishing with 167. KL Rahul contributed 82, while Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel also contributed with the bat. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 284, giving India a sizeable 178-run first-innings advantage.
India declared their second innings at 193/3, setting Sri Lanka a challenging target of 372. The hosts showed resistance but eventually folded for 207, handing India a comprehensive victory. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar was the star, claiming a sensational 10-wicket match haul to spearhead India’s bowling attack. This was also India’s 187th Test match victory as they played their 600th Test match.
WTC 2025-27 Points Table after India beat Sri Lanka
The victory earned India 12 WTC points, taking their tally to 64 and lifting their Points Percentage (PCT) from 48.15 to 53.33. However, India remain fifth in the standings, with Bangladesh still ahead in fourth. Sri Lanka slipped to sixth with a PCT of 33.33.
| Rank | Team | Matches | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 9 | 84 | 77.78% |
| 2 | South Africa | 4 | 36 | 75.00% |
| 3 | New Zealand | 6 | 52 | 72.22% |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 5 | 40 | 66.67% |
| 5 | India | 10 | 64 | 53.33% |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | 5 | 20 | 33.33% |
| 7 | England | 13 | 38 | 24.36% |
| 8 | Pakistan | 6 | 16 | 22.22% |
| 9 | West Indies | 12 | 30 | 20.83% |
Standings updated after the Galle Test.
How have India boosted WTC Final Hopes?
India have definitely taken a big step forward in the WTC points table, but they are still far away from the World Test Championship final. The likes of South Africa and Australia still have a comfortable lead at the top, and the Indian team will have to keep winning to get closer to that.
Although Bangladesh’s win over Australia may have put a dent in Australia’s prospects, India are still far away from a realistic bid for the final. India will now look to complete a 2-0 series sweep when the second Test begins in Colombo on August 23.
India will play 7 more Test matches after the Sri Lanka series. They will travel to New Zealand for a 2-match series, while Australia will visit next year for a five-match series.
Story first published: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 14:37 [IST]
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