The Indian cricket team is set to embark on another exciting journey in the fourth edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, scheduled from June 2025 to June 2027. After the conclusion of the WTC 2023-25 cycle in June 2025, India will start the next edition right away with the tournament consisting of 27 series and 71 matches in the league stage.
WTC 2025-27 Overview
India will play six series against six teams in this two-year cycle, with three series at home and three away. The team will face England, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand in away conditions, while hosting West Indies, South Africa, and Australia on home soil.
The final of the WTC 2025-27 will take place in June 2027 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, with the top two teams from the points table competing for the championship.
Complete Schedule Overview
| Home Series | Away Series |
|---|---|
| West Indies (Oct 2025 – 2 Tests) | England (Jun-Aug 2025 – 5 Tests) |
| South Africa (Nov 2025 – 2 Tests) | Sri Lanka (Aug 2026 – 2 Tests) |
| Australia (Jan-Feb 2027 – 5 Tests) | New Zealand (Oct-Nov 2026 – 2 Tests) |
Detailed Fixtures and Venues
1. India Tour of England (June-August 2025)
India’s WTC 2025-27 schedule kicks off with an away tour of England, with the first Test scheduled at Headingley starting on June 20. This will be a crucial five-match Test series for the Pataudi Trophy.
| Test | Date | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | June 20-24, 2025 | Headingley | Leeds |
| 2nd Test | July 2-6, 2025 | Edgbaston | Birmingham |
| 3rd Test | July 10-14, 2025 | Lord’s | London |
| 4th Test | July 23-27, 2025 | Emirates Old Trafford | Manchester |
| 5th Test | July 31 – August 4, 2025 | The Oval | London |
2. West Indies Tour of India (October 2025)
India will get ready to host West Indies in October 2025 for a two-match Test series. This home series will provide India an opportunity to accumulate crucial WTC points on familiar conditions.
| Test | Date | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | October 2025 | TBA | India |
| 2nd Test | October 2025 | TBA | India |
3. South Africa Tour of India (November 2025)
South Africa will land in November 2025 for another two-match Test series on Indian soil. This series will be crucial for both teams’ WTC standings.
| Test | Date | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | November 2025 | TBA | India |
| 2nd Test | November 2025 | TBA | India |
4. India Tour of Sri Lanka (August 2026)
The Men in Blue will resume their WTC 2025-27 campaign in August 2026 by touring neighbouring Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series.
| Test | Date | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | August 2026 | TBA | Sri Lanka |
| 2nd Test | August 2026 | TBA | Sri Lanka |
5. India Tour of New Zealand (October-November 2026)
In October-November 2026, India will travel to New Zealand for their last away series of the fourth WTC cycle in a two-match series.
| Test | Date | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | October-November 2026 | TBA | New Zealand |
| 2nd Test | October-November 2026 | TBA | New Zealand |
6. Australia Tour of India (January-February 2027)
India’s last series of this edition will be against heavyweights Australia in the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in January-February 2027. This will be the most anticipated series of the cycle.
| Test | Date | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | January-February 2027 | TBA | India |
| 2nd Test | January-February 2027 | TBA | India |
| 3rd Test | January-February 2027 | TBA | India |
| 4th Test | January-February 2027 | TBA | India |
| 5th Test | January-February 2027 | TBA | India |
WTC 2025-27 Points System
The points system remains unchanged from the previous edition: a win is worth 12 points, a tie is worth 6 points each, a draw is worth 4 points each, and a loss is worth 0 points. Teams that are behind the required over rate at the end of a match will have one point deducted for each over they are behind.
India’s WTC Challenge
India will play a total of 18 Test matches across six series – three home and three away. The team’s success in this cycle will largely depend on their performance in challenging overseas conditions, particularly in England and New Zealand.
This series will revisit the storied rivalry that last resulted in a 2-2 draw during India’s 2021 tour of England. The upcoming England tour offers India a chance to prove their mettle in swing-friendly conditions.
Leadership and Squad
Under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, the team embarks on a mission to reclaim its stature in the longest format of the game, with Gill being named captain after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has also named Rishabh Pant as vice-captain for the upcoming England series.
The WTC 2025-27 cycle presents India with an excellent opportunity to reach their third consecutive WTC final and potentially claim their first World Test Championship title. With a perfect blend of experienced campaigners and young talent like Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah, the team will look to make the most of this challenging yet exciting journey ahead, led by Gautam Gambhir as head coach.