In a turn of events, yesterday, New Zealand achieved what only a handful of teams have managed in over a decade; clinching a Test series win in India. The second test of the series between India and New Zealand saw the Kiwis emerger victorious by a decisive 113-run margin. Whitewashing the series, New Zealand have now shaken India’s journey to a berth in the World Test Championship Final, making India’s path significantly challenging.
A Challenging Road to WTC Final
With consecutive defeats the road to WTC finals has become rockier for India. India must secure four victories in the six remaining matches to guarantee themselves a berth in the finals at Lord’s in 2025. Although India remains at the top spot in the WTC standings with a PCT (Points Calculation Table) of 62.82%, the margin India has over Australia (62.50%) has become razor thin.
With the lead gap smaller than ever, India’s error for margin has significantly shrunk. Leaving their fate hanging in the balance is the last thing Rohit & Co. must be wishing for and to retain a chance of qualifying without relying on other teams’ results, they must draw more than one match and clinch five wins in their remaining six matches to reach a PCT of 71.05%. An uphill task presents itself ahead of the Men in Blue. A clean sweep in the remaining matches, an unlikely odds, would see them achieve a PCT of 74.56%. The best case scenario for India would be winning their next Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai and taking down Australia with a flawless 5-0 score.
How are other teams shaping up the WTC landscape?
At the moment, India’s position is far from secure and other teams still have the opportunity to disrupt the current standings. South Africa’s recent win against Bangladesh has added heat to the race, and they have favourable matches coming up against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. If they happen to win the matches, as is expected of them, they will achieve a PCT of 69.44 and potentially leapfrog India.
On the other hand, England has played the most number of games in this WTC cycle, and have won nine out of nineteen. They are currently in a respectable position but would need a miraculous turn of the table to reach the final.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s chances are also slim with a PCT of 40% after winning only four out of ten matches. And at the bottom are West Indies and Bangladesh with the lowest PCTs and are unlikely to pose a significant threat.
To keep the WTC final at an arm’s distance, India must summon their best for the remaining matches, especially in the high-stakes Border Gavaskar Trophy. Despite the recent setbacks, a resilient approach and flawless execution could see India carve out a path to the legendary Lord’s Cricket Stadium.