How India can still qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final despite losing 3-0 to New Zealand

Final WTC scenarios: With the India-New Zealand Test series ending in a shocking 3-0 for Team India, 18 Test matches remain in the ongoing multi-team ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 ​​cycle. are still fighting for a place in the summit clash. At the end of the cycle, the top two placed teams will be able to play in the previous year’s title competition, and no team is yet guaranteed a place in the final.

Even Team India can reach the ICC WTC final despite being whitewashed at home. However, India have a major task ahead of them as their only remaining series is a five-match away series against Australia. For Team India to take control of its destiny, it needs a 4-0 win over Australia. Four wins and a draw Down Under would mean India’s points would rise to 65.79%, which would be better than New Zealand’s maximum points tally of 64.29%, the point they would reach if they beat England 3-0 at home .

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A 4-0 result in Australia will mean India will be at worst second on points behind South Africa, who could potentially score 69.44% if they beat Sri Lanka and Pakistan. However, such scenarios assume that other teams will collect their maximum points.

How can Australia finish in first place and India in second place in the WTC?

If that doesn’t happen, India could still qualify for the World Trade Center final with fewer points. Even if India loses to Australia 2-3, New Zealand and England will draw 1-1, South Africa will draw 1-1 at home in both the remaining series and Australia will draw 0-0 in Sri Lanka.

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If these four results happen then in such a scenario Australia would finish in first place with 58.77%, India might only have 53.51% but that would still be enough for them to come in second place. South Africa will be in third place with 52.78% and Sri Lanka in fourth with 51.28%. This suggests that while India may not need four wins, they will aim for the same if they do not want to be dependent on other teams’ match results.