Year-ender: How India's Test side fared this year (WTC 2025-27)
What's the story
After failing to reach the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final, India started afresh with a new and young captain in Shubman Gill. Gill was appointed India's Test captain after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli unexpectedly retired from the format. Under Gill and the Gautam Gambhir-led management, India had mixed results in Tests this year, even reaching a new low in home conditions.
Record
Four wins in nine Tests
In the 2025-27 WTC cycle that started with the England tour, India played three series this year. In nine Tests, they won four and lost as many, drawing one. India, entering a transition phase, showed promise in England. Despite being behind, they managed to draw the series 2-2. Although India routed West Indies 2-0 at home, they lost 0-2 to South Africa.
England
A thrilling Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy marked India's entry into the WTC 2025-27 cycle. India lost the opener at Headingley despite setting a 371-run target. The 2nd Test saw India claim a 336-run win. Gill shattered records with scores of 269 and 161. While England bounced back at Lord's, the 4th Test was drawn. India secured a narrow six-run win at The Oval to draw the series.
Gill
Gill shatter these records
Gill emerged as the highest run-scorer of the series, amassing 754 runs at 75.40. He hit four centuries in the series, including a career-best 269 at Edgbaston. Gill now has the most runs for an Indian captain in a bilateral Test series, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar. The former also recorded the joint-most hundreds in a Test series as captain, with Sir Donald Bradman and Gavaskar.
Siraj
Siraj leads wicket tally
Siraj finished as the highest wicket-taker of the series. The Indian pacer featured in all five Tests and bowled a staggering 185.3 overs. He took 23 wickets at an average of 32.43 (2 fifers). Notably, Siraj led India's pace attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah at Edgbaston and The Oval. No other bowler took more than 20 wickets in the series.
West Indies
India beat West Indies at home
In October, India convincingly won two Tests against a weak West Indies side at home. They won by an innings in Ahmedabad and claimed a seven-wicket win in Delhi. While Yashasvi Jaiswal (175) missed out on a double-ton in Delhi, Gill made 129*. The latter became the second Indian captain, after Virat Kohli, to score five Test centuries in a calendar year.
South Africa
SA prevail on Indian soil
The following month saw India lose the Kolkata Test to South Africa by 30 runs. India failed to chase down 124, the second-lowest target India failed to reach in Tests. South Africa routed India 2-0 after winning in Guwahati. The Proteas successfully defended 548, bowling India out for 140 on the final day. SA won their first Test series in India since 2000.
Information
India's biggest Test defeat
In Guwahati, India suffered their biggest Test defeat (408 runs), surpassing 342 runs against Australia in 2004. Meanwhile, SA claimed their second-biggest Test win (by runs). This is only behind their 492-run win against Australia in Johannesburg, 2018.