The mighty Australians retained their position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table with five consecutive wins in this edition of the WTC. Under the leadership of their stand-in skipper, Steve Smith, the baggy green have progressed 2-0 in the ongoing Ashes.
Australia extend their lead further in the Ashes Test series at home after beating England in a day/night pink-ball Test at the iconic Gabba in Brisbane. The Australians have inevitably been good in the pink ball Tests, and they continue their record.
Apart from extending their lead in the Ashes, the Australians have also continued their stellar form in the current cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. They won their 5 matches without a single defeat or draw in the competition. The Australians may be looking at their third appearance in the WTC final.
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Joe Root’s maiden hundred in vain as Australia crush England in pink-ball Test
England veteran Joe Root, who had never reached the three-figure mark in the longest format of the match on Australian soil, did so for the first time in this match. The English great reached his 40th Test hundred in the first innings and gave England a respectable start.
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc turned the tide with another 6-wicket haul in the series. The expert paceman picked up 18 wickets in two matches and was also the player of the series against the West Indies in the Caribbean.
Root’s hundred was in vain, as several players in the Australian XI contributed with important half-centuries. Travis Head and Cameron Green missed out on fifty but remained promising scorers.
But the huge game-changer was Mitchell Starc’s 77, which tormented England’s leaders on day three, and Australia surpassed the 500-run mark and took a 170-run advantage heading into the second innings. The next game-changing moment came with Michael Neser’s 5-wicket haul as England were bowled out for just 241 in the second innings. Australia chased down the target of 65 runs with 8 wickets remaining.
ICC World Test Championship Points Table (Updated)
| Pos | Team | Plays | Won | Lost | Draw | Ded | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 100.00 |
| 2 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 75.00 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 66.67 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| 5 | India | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 48h15 |
| 6 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 33.33 |
| 7 | England | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 30.95 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16.67 |
| 9 | West Indies | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5.56 |
Pat Cummins set to make Adelaide return
Australian skipper Pat Cummins has been ruled out of competitive cricket since July 2025, and his return is expected in the Ashes. While Cummins is almost being considered for a return to the Gabba, we can rest assured that he will surely make his return to Adelaide.
After his return, the captaincy would go to the speedster; However, Steve Smith has been a real gem of a captain over the last two matches. His timing in switching between bowlers, field placements and tactics to pressure the opposition proved useful.
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