2025 Test Match Rules & WTC Odds Prediction 

A Test match is the most grueling format of all cricket matches! It tests the players’ patience and endurance. A single match takes 3 to 5 days to determine the result—such a pain in the ass!

I’ll tell you the simplest and most understandable Test cricket rules for 2025 and how teams qualify for the WTC! Here, you’ll find WTC championship odds predictions—don’t miss out if you’re looking to place a bet.

Test Match Rules

Test cricket follows a two-innings format, where each team gets two batting opportunities. Matches are played for six hours per day over five days, and a series can last up to five matches.

There is no limit on the number of deliveries per inning. The inning continues until either all batters are dismissed (all out) or the batting team declares early due to weather or strategic reasons. If no winner is determined within five days, the match ends in a draw.

The break time is usually from 2 PM to 3 PM, around 40 minutes. There is also a 20-minute tea break, but its timing is flexible and depends on the match’s progress.

Lastly, if a team fails to complete 90 overs within the available time, players are fined around 20% of their match fees, with adjustments based on the length of the delay.

💡 If the team fails to complete 90 overs in a day, the umpire may extend play by up to 30 minutes to make up for the remaining deliveries.

There are several unique rules in Test cricket that are not found in other formats:

• Follow-On: After the first innings, if a team leads by more than 200 runs, they can choose to enforce the Follow-On, requiring the trailing team to bat again immediately (without switching).
• Declaration: In a five-day Test match, if the batting team has a lead of 200 runs or more, the captain can declare the innings at any time. This forces a switch in batting and bowling, giving the team more time to dismiss the opposition.
• Drew: In Test cricket, if the match is not completed within five days and neither team has been fully dismissed, the result is a Draw. This is different from a Tie, which occurs only when both teams finish all innings with the exact same score.

World Test Championship (WTC) Qualification

Before the WTC Final, all teams must first compete in six bilateral Test series. The two teams with the highest points and most wins from these series will qualify for the WTC Final, which is played as a five-day Test match. The winner is crowned the WTC Champion!

Each WTC cycle takes two years, and the champion is determined after a long series of matches.

How many Test matches are played in two years to decide the points and finalists?

The WTC currently features nine Test-playing nations. Each team competes in six Test series, with each series consisting of three to four Test matches on average.

📌 6 series × 3.5 matches per series × 9 teams. That means 60–70 Test matches are played over two years to determine the standings.
At the end of this period, the top two teams will advance to the World Test Championship Final to compete for the title! 🏆

Test Cricket का King!

2019-2021 Season: The inaugural WTC Final was played between India and New Zealand. 🏆 New Zealand won the championship.

2021-2023 Season: The second WTC Final featured Australia vs. India. 🏆 Australia emerged victorious.

2023-25 Season： India finished third in the standings and is officially out of the final.

The ICC World Test Championship Final will be held from 11 Jun to 15 Jun at Lord’s, England. and the title will be contested between Australia and South Africa.

2025 ICC WTC Final Odds Prediction

Confirmed Final: Australia vs. South Africa，Australia Odds 1.80，South Africa Odds 2.10.

As the defending champions, Australia showed their dominance by defeating India in the 2021-23 WTC Final. They have consistently performed at the highest level in this cycle, boasting a squad filled with experienced players and a stable lineup.

South Africa has reached the WTC Final for the first time. Recently, they dominated the entire series, defeating Pakistan 3-0, and are currently on a seven-match winning streak under the leadership of coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma.

With England’s unpredictable June weather and the unique slope of Lord’s Cricket Ground, this final is filled with uncertainties.

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2025 India National Team Test Schedule

India will play 10 Test series in 2025, starting with the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a crucial match for WTC Final qualification. In the end, Australia won by 6 wickets, securing their spot in the WTC Final.