The Indian cricket team is gearing up to secure their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final as they kick off a five-match Test series against Australia. India's aspirations took a hit after suffering a 0-3 series defeat against New Zealand at home. Nevertheless, with five matches against Australia on the horizon, India has a significant opportunity to make it to the WTC Final for the third consecutive time.
Let's delve into the scenarios where India can clinch their WTC Final berth:
A comprehensive 4-0 or 5-0 victory in the five-match Test series will ensure India's place in the WTC Final. However, any loss in a single match will leave their fate hanging on other results.
In the event of a 4-1 win, India will need England to secure at least one draw against New Zealand, or Sri Lanka/Pakistan to draw a match against South Africa.
If India emerges victorious with a 3-2 scoreline, they will require England to triumph in one Test against New Zealand, Sri Lanka to defeat Australia in at least one Test, and South Africa to lose two out of their four matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
A 2-2 series tie complicates matters further. New Zealand must lose one Test against England, and Sri Lanka must lose one Test against South Africa. Additionally, for India to advance to the WTC Final, Australia must lose both of their matches against Sri Lanka.
Should India narrowly win the series against Australia 2-1, they will secure a spot in the WTC Final if New Zealand draws one match and loses one against England. As for Sri Lanka, losing both matches against South Africa and winning both against Australia would be the ideal scenario for India.
However, if India manages to win only one Test in the series against Australia, their hopes of reaching the WTC Final will be dashed.
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