India's Road to World Test Championship Final: A Closer Look at Qualification Despite Series Defeat to New Zealand

New Delhi: India suffered a defeat in the second test against New Zealand, losing by 113 runs in the match held in Pune. Mitchell Santner of New Zealand proved to be a thorn in India's side, taking a total of 13 wickets in the match. He claimed 7 wickets in the first innings and followed up with 6 wickets in the second innings. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's valiant efforts, scoring crucial runs for India, the team fell short while chasing a target of 359 runs, getting all out for 245 runs. With a series of defeats against New Zealand, the qualification scenario for the World Test Championship final looks challenging for Team India.

Currently, there is a tough competition between four teams to reach the finals. India and Australia are currently in the first and second positions respectively. Even after a series win for New Zealand, its chances of reaching the finals will be very low. But apart from India-Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa are also directly in the race for the finals.

Before the series against New Zealand started, India had a good lead in the WTC Championship table. But after losing the Pune Test match, its points percentage has almost been equal to Australia’s. Defeat in the Pune Test has not only ended India’s streak of winning 18 consecutive series on its soil but its hopes of playing its third consecutive Test Championship final may also be dashed.

In such a situation, India’s reaching the final will depend on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting in November. India lost the Pune Test, then it will not only have to ensure that it wins the last Test against New Zealand but also has to win at least three out of five Test matches against Australia. To put it simply, after losing the second Test against New Zealand, India’s path to the final is going to be very difficult. If India loses the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well, then it will be out of the race for the final.