India strengthens top spot in WTC standings after a solid victory against England

Team India (Pic: PTI)

India's solid victory over England in the fifth and final test in Dharamshala has consolidated their position at the top in the World Test Championship rankings. The hosts sealed the five-match Test series against the English men at 4-1.

Team India gained 12 points in the WTC charts after the victory by an innings and 64 runs in Dharamshala. India now enjoys the top spot with a score of 74. The win has lifted their points percentage from 64.58 to 68.51.

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Rohit Sharma-led Indian side reached the top spot after New Zealand's loss against Australia in Wellington. The Kiwis are in the second spot with 36 points and a percentage of 60. The third place is in the name of Australia with 78 points a percentage of 59.09.

For England, a fourth straight loss in India has kept them in eighth place in the standings, and terms of point percentage, they have dropped to 17.5 from 19.44 previously.

Having secured a series win with a stellar fightback in the Ranchi Test, India dominated all three days of the fifth Test.

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England won the toss and were bundled out for 218 in their first innings. Kuldeep Yadav (5/72) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4/51) topped the bowling charts for India.

India scored 477 runs in the first innings. England had a deficit of 259 runs as they began their second innings. Though Joe Root (84 in 128 balls, with 12 fours) attempted to fight it out for England, he got very little support from the other end.

Jonny Bairstow (39 in 31 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Tom Hartley (20 in 24 balls, with four boundaries) contributed respectable scores, but nothing could help Root avert a disaster as England were bundled out for 195. England lost the series 4-1.

Ashwin (5/77) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja got one.

(With ANI Inputs)