It is a no-nonsense challenge from the chief selector to the Test side: put in better work if you want to make something of this WTC. We’ve had a bit of a wobbly beginning to the new cycle and there are plenty of teams to catch up with. The point is made plain – the ability is in the room, but the bar has to be raised now.
Agarkar’s candid assessment
You could say he was being frank after the BCCI put out the T20I and Asian Games 2026 squads. But for all that, his mind was on Test cricket. He didn’t mince words, though he wasn’t one to sound the alarm either; just a matter of fact when it comes to where we need to be.
‘I don’t know whether “worry” is the right term, but we do have to put in better showings,’ he put it. He had good things to say about the England job, but on the South Africa series, he’ll be the first to say it ‘probably didn’t go to plan’. As long as they ‘play well enough’, the opportunity is still on the table.
Rankings picture vs WTC reality
If you look at the global standings, India are in fine form. The numbers on the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings are kind to us – we’re third with a 104 rating and 2,600 points. Then you have Australia at the top with 131 and 3,138, and the chasm becomes apparent.
The WTC is a different beast. In this 2025-27 run, we are in sixth, four wins to our name in nine. Australia, who were second last time around, have seven in eight and are leading the pack. South Africa, the ones with the trophy, are third with three in four. Harder to read than the rankings would have you believe.
What this means for the road to the final
We’ve been to the WTC final two years in a row, 2021 and 2023, only to come up short. Beaten by New Zealand, then by Australia at Lord’s. There is some settling up to do, and it makes for higher stakes this time around.
And the current tie in New Chandigarh won’t do much to ease the pressure. We are up against Afghanistan in a one-off, but with them not in the nine-nation club, there are no WTC points on the line. You can get some rhythm going, but the table stays as it is.
For those keeping an eye on the scorecard, here is how it stands:
– Being sixth gives you no room for error
– A non-WTC match is a non-factor for the standings
– It is Australia and South Africa dictating the terms
Key moments shaping the campaign
Agarkar’s view of the season is one of contrasts. The England series was a credit to the side. The time in South Africa, on the other hand, showed you where the holes are. If we want to stay in the hunt for the final, those have to be plugged in a hurry.
Still, he has no doubt in the group. ‘We know we’ve got the players, but we’ve got to play better,’ is the way he sees it. It is a question of how you go about it, not who is in the XI, that will decide our fate.
What to watch next
There is a way forward, but it is a narrow one. With some big Tests yet to be had in the cycle, India will have to string together some solid, high-level performances to move up from sixth and put themselves in position for the decider.
In a nutshell, that is the selectors’ view:
– Put in the work
– The personnel are there
– Do your job and the chance is yours
You can’t miss the point. The ICC ranking may say one thing, but the WTC table is asking for something more. Agarkar has drawn a line in the sand; now it is for the Test professionals to get over it, and in short order.
