Heading into the final few matches of the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, it seemed like almost a formality that India would confirm a spot at Lord’s for their third consecutive WTC final appearance. However, a shocking 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand jeopardised their chances, before a 3-1 loss in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy officially ruled them out of the summit clash.
India will be supremely disappointed by the turn of events, dropping 6 of their last 8 Test matches and winning only once to somehow fail to qualify for the finals. It will be about placing things in the past, however, and turning their attention to the future: the 2025-27 WTC cycle, beginning later this year.
The fresh WTC campaign will see India play a total of 18 Test matches, hungry to put the disappointment of this failure behind them. The campaign starts with a blockbuster five-match series in England in the summer of 2025 for the Pataudi Trophy. India enjoyed a strong spell in England last time out, but will be confronted by a dangerous Bazball outfit that loves playing in home conditions.
Following this is a pair of two-match home Test series in October-November 2025 to close out the year, with West Indies and South Africa set to travel to India, although venues are yet to be decided. India will want to re-assert their home dominance beginning here, potentially against the WTC champions if the Proteas win over Australia.
After a few months away from the red ball, India travel to their island neighbours in Sri Lanka for two Tests in August 2026. The matches come thick and fast after that, as India are set to fly to New Zealand for a two-match revenge series against the Kiwis, tentatively between October and December.
After that, it is a flight back to India, where they will host Australia in the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in the first two months of 2027, undoubtedly with the intentions of wrestling back the BGT after losing out on it for the first time in a decade during the recently-concluded series.
Some fans may be disappointed to see India play teams such as South Africa and New Zealand only twice, with those usually being extremely entertaining games. The headliners, however, will be the five-match series that bookend India’s WTC schedule, beginning in England and ending at home vs Australia in just over two years.
India’s World Test Championship 2025-27 schedule
India tour of England: 5 Tests, June-August 2025
West Indies tour of India: 2 Tests, October 2025
South Africa tour of India: 2 Tests, November-December 2025
India tour of Sri Lanka: 2 Tests, August 2026
India tour of New Zealand: 2 Tests, October-December 2026
Australia tour of India: 5 Tests, January-February 2027
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