Pune, 26 October 2024 – In a setback to India’s World Test Championship (WTC) final hopes, Rohit Sharma’s team lost a closely contested series to New Zealand, marking India’s first home Test series defeat since 2012. With New Zealand claiming a historic 2-0 lead, India’s position in the WTC rankings has shifted, leaving their qualification for the 2025 WTC final in question.
The loss in Pune saw India’s batting line-up struggle against spin on a tricky pitch, falling short by 113 runs in their chase of 359. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal showed resistance with a gritty 77, but the collapse began as Mitchell Santner dismissed Jaiswal, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s late efforts proving insufficient.
Following this match, India’s points percentage dropped from 74% to 62.82% with 98 points from 13 matches, now leading Australia by a narrow 62.50% margin. However, India’s chances of securing a spot in the final, set to be held at Lord’s in 2025, remain intact, depending on a few crucial outcomes in their upcoming matches and the performance of other WTC competitors.
India’s Path to the WTC Final at Lord’s
Despite the series loss to New Zealand, India’s qualification chances are still alive if the team can capitalize on its remaining fixtures. Here’s what needs to go in India’s favor:
Winning the Final Test Against New Zealand: India’s next match against New Zealand in Mumbai will be their last home Test in the current WTC cycle. A victory here would not only boost confidence but also improve India’s points tally before they travel to Australia.
Strong Performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Post-Mumbai, India’s series against Australia will be pivotal. To stay firmly in contention without relying on other results, India would need at least five wins out of their remaining six matches, finishing the WTC cycle with a points percentage (PCT) of around 74.56%. This would effectively secure a spot in the final.
Alternative Scenarios: If achieving five wins proves challenging, India can still reach the final with a combination of two wins and four draws. This would yield a minimum PCT of 60%, but qualification would then depend on results from other matches involving Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
Competitors for the WTC Final Spot
Several teams, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, are still in the race for the WTC final, making it a tight competition:
Australia: Holding the second position, Australia requires four victories out of their remaining seven matches, including five against India. A strong showing could see them maintain their top-two spot.
South Africa: South Africa is in a favorable position, especially following their recent victory over Bangladesh. With further series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, South Africa can finish at a maximum PCT of 69.44, putting pressure on India to avoid further slip-ups.
New Zealand: Despite their series win in India, New Zealand’s best-case scenario would see them reach a PCT of 64.28 if they win their remaining matches, including three Tests against England. This would still leave them dependent on other results.
Sri Lanka: Although Sri Lanka’s chances are slim, they can theoretically qualify if they win all four of their remaining Tests, two each against South Africa and Australia, while India drops points.
Upcoming Challenges for India
The road ahead is challenging but manageable for India. Rohit Sharma and the team will need to capitalize on each opportunity, especially against Australia in the coming Border-Gavaskar series, while also keeping an eye on South Africa and Sri Lanka’s performance. Given their consistent performance in the last two WTC cycles, India will be eager to make it to a third consecutive final, and for fans, it remains an exciting journey to follow.
Stay tuned to the Board of Sports in India (BOSI) for more updates on India’s WTC journey and all the latest developments from the world of cricket.
