England vs India set to kick off the second World Test Championship cycle

The England and India test series starting August 4 will kick off the second cycle of the World Test Championship. This along with the Ashes, will be the only two series comprising five Tests in the second WTC cycle. This Cycle will last from August 2021 – June 2023.

The teams will play three home and as many away series. The tours which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the opening WTC cycle will not be carried forward.

India are scheduled to play 19 Tests over the two years. Meanwhile, Australia and South Africa are set to play 15 matches each. England will compete in 21 Tests the most by any team in the second WTC cycle.

POINT DISTRUBUTION

ICC has decided to give each Test the same number of points irrespective of the number of matches in a series. To ensure the discrepancy in matches does not hurt the teams’ WTC points tally, the ICC has decided to allot each match the same number of points. Each match in WTC 2 will be worth 12 points. A draw will be four points. While a tie will earn each team six points. Teams will also be penalised for slow over rates – one point docked for every over they fall behind.

Like the first WTC cycle, the second edition will see each of the nine Test teams playing a total of six series: three home and three away.

INDIA WILL LOOK TO COME BACK STRONG

India finished the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) as runners-up after dominating the league stage of the competition.

Team India will be looking for a similar dominant performance in the second edition as well. For Kohli and company, the new cycle begins with the five-match Test series against England.

The two Captains – Joe Root and Virat Kohli pose with the silverware ahead of the five-match Test series.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/kEWt4S3Dne

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 31, 2018

India’s second assignment in the cycle will be against defending champions New Zealand at home. According to the schedule, the Kiwis will visit India for a two-Test series after the T20 World Cup in November this year.

The Indian cricket team will then travel to South Africa for a three-match Test series in December-January, before hosting Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series prior to the IPL 2022.

After a lengthy break, India will host Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will take place around October and November next year.

India’s second WTC campaign will conclude with a two-match Test tour of Bangladesh.

However, ICC has not yet decided the schedule and the venue for the final.