The five-match Test series between India and England is scheduled to be commencing on August 4 and with that, the second cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) will also start. According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, there are only two series that have five Test matches in the second WTC cycle as England and Australia will lock horns with each later this year for 5 Tests. As per the report, Australia will be touring India in 2021 for four Tests. The ICC has not yet decided on the schedule and the venue for the summit clash.

Teams will play three home and as many away series and the tours which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the opening WTC cycle will not be carried forward. India will be playing as many as 19 Tests while Australia and South Africa will be playing 15 Tests. England will compete in 21 Tests, the most by any team in the second WTC cycle.

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A tie will give each team six points while a draw will earn them four. 12 points will be given to the winning team for each match while one point can be deducted for slow over rates.

Explaining the same as per the quotes in ESPNCricinfo, ICC’s chief executive officer, Geoff Allardice said, “Instead of each series being worth the same number of points, 120, irrespective of whether the series is played over two Tests or five Tests, the next cycle will see each match being worth the same number of points, a maximum of 12 per match.”

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He further added, “Teams will be ranked on the percentage of available points they won from the matches they have played. The aim was to try and simplify the points system and to allow teams to be meaningfully compared on the table at any point, though they may have played differing numbers of matches and series.”