India and Pakistan have not played a Test match since 2007/08, but both teams are among the favourites for the 2025-2027 World Test Championship final.
India have been among the most successful sides in the World Test Championship. After losing the final in the 2019-2021 and 2021-2023 editions, they finished third in the 2023-2025 edition. Across the three editions, their win-loss ratio of 1.667 is behind only Australia’s 3.
With 0.7, Pakistan are at sixth place among nine teams. They finished sixth, seventh, and ninth in the three editions. However, in the 2025-2027 editions, both teams are significant contenders for spots in the final.
If that indeed happens, they will clash in a Test match for the first time in nearly two decades.
Why are India favourites for the 2023-2025 final?
India’s league schedule in WTC 2025-2027
Home: West Indies (won 2-0 in 2 Tests), South Africa (November 2025, 2 Tests), Australia (January-February 2027, 5 Tests)
Away: England (drew 2-2 in 5 Tests), Sri Lanka (2 Tests, August 2026), New Zealand (2 Tests, October-November 2026)
Seven of India’s nine overseas Tests are in “SENA” countries, but India have already picked up 28 points across five of these. They have also picked up full points against the West Indies at home. Of course, seven more Tests remain. But South Africa have not impressed in India since 2010/11, while Australia have not won a series in India since 2004/05.
India had seemed on course for a place in the final of the 2023-2025 edition when two streak-ending series defeats – against New Zealand at home, against Australia in Australia – derailed their campaign.
Nine months have elapsed since then. India have not looked anywhere close to perfect in the new cycle, but they seem to have exorcised the ghosts of the twin debacles. Stern challenges lie ahead, but the nine Tests in Asia do make India one of the favourites.
Why are Pakistan favourites for the 2023-2025 final?
Pakistan’s league schedule in WTC 2025-2027
Home: South Africa (1-0 leading in 2 Tests), New Zealand (2 Tests, March 2027), Sri Lanka (2 Tests, November 2026)
Away: Bangladesh (2 Tests, March 2026), West Indies (2 Tests, July-August 2026), England (3 Tests, August-September 2026)
Pakistan have a favourable itinerary. They had – somewhat uncharacteristically – turned to spin for answers; their spinners responded to the task, and are continuing with the good job in the current edition. They are now leading in what was supposed to be their most difficult series at home, against South Africa.
Of course, rank turners will not surprise Sri Lanka. In India last year, New Zealand demonstrated that they can be more than a handful in these conditions. But the Pakistan spinners, who have honed their skills through years of toil in first-class cricket at home, do make their team favourites.
The away leg is what brings Pakistan in contention. Across the three editions, the West Indies (0.357) and Bangladesh (0.2) have the lowest win-loss ratios. Pakistan have never lost a Test in Bangladesh, and have not lost a series in the West Indies since 2000. In England, they have won three Tests across their three tours and lost four.
What about the other teams?
Australia have expectedly swept the West Indies 3-0 in an overseas series, but their two other away tours feature three Tests in South Africa and five in India. They will be hosting New Zealand for four Tests and Bangladesh for two, but the five-Test Ashes is likely to go a long way to determine their final position. However, of the other teams, they are best placed to reach the final.
Defending champions South Africa have already embarked upon their extremely difficult campaign. Their entire overseas leg will be in Asia, while they will host both Australia and England, the only two sides that have won more Tests in the country than they have lost. Their least difficult series is against Bangladesh at home.
England’s home schedule is not easy. They failed to beat India in a series that ate up five of their 11 home Tests, but the other six – against New Zealand and Pakistan – are not simple either. They also tour Australia, South Africa, and Bangladesh – which makes their schedule nearly as difficult as South Africa’s.
New Zealand, on the other hand, have relatively easy home fixtures. They host the West Indies, India, and Sri Lanka, all of whom have struggled to win Tests there. On the road, however, they face England, Australia, and Pakistan – which should be enough to offset their home advantage.
Sri Lanka have failed to finish in the top four in any of the three WTC editions. This time, they have failed to sweep Bangladesh at home, and will host India and South Africa. Barring New Zealand, however, their overseas schedule is not difficult: they tour the West Indies and Pakistan.
There is little reason to believe that Bangladesh (twice winners of the wooden spoon) or the West Indies (second from bottom in all three editions) will have an unusually good run to the final. The West Indies have started with five defeats, while Bangladesh will tour South Africa and Australia.
