India's Hopes for WTC Final Dented After 0-3 Series Defeat Against New Zealand; Is India Out of Reckoning?

WTC Points Table Update: India’s journey towards securing a spot in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) final took a severe hit after a disappointing 0-3 series defeat at home to New Zealand. The series, which concluded on Sunday in Mumbai, was a challenging setback for Rohit Sharma’s team, particularly as they lost all three matches despite entering the series as strong favorites on home soil. After dropping the first two Tests, India needed a win in the third Test to maintain their position at the top of the WTC standings.

India slip to second spot 

However, with a third consecutive loss, India slipped to the second spot in the WTC rankings. Australia, with a percentage of 62.50, now holds the top position, while India’s percentage fell to 58.33. Sri Lanka follows in third place with a percentage of 55.56. India had led the standings at 62.82% after the second Test, but their grip on the top spot loosened with the final loss to New Zealand.

As the Indian team prepares for a five-match Test series against Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy later this month, the pressure is mounting. If India hopes to reach the WTC final for a third consecutive time, they can’t afford any further slip-ups.

India needs to win 4 matches in Australia

To qualify for the WTC final, India faces a steep challenge in the upcoming Test series against Australia. Ideally, India must secure at least four wins out of the five-match series – a demanding feat, especially on Australian soil. 

Achieving fewer than four wins would place India’s qualification hopes at the mercy of other teams’ performances, particularly Sri Lanka’s.

Sri Lanka’s upcoming four-match series, consisting of two Tests each against Australia and South Africa, could play a pivotal role. For India to keep its qualification hopes alive, they would ideally need Sri Lanka to lose at least two of their four matches. Meanwhile, South Africa, currently in fifth place, also remains a factor in the competitive standings.

We didn’t play our best cricket: Rohit Sharma 

Following India’s loss to New Zealand, captain Rohit Sharma took responsibility for the team’s performance and acknowledged his struggles both as a batsman and as captain. “Losing a series, losing a Test is never easy; it’s not something that’s easy to digest,” said Rohit. “We didn’t play our best cricket, and we have to accept that. On a personal level, I wasn’t at my best, with both bat and as a captain, and that will rankle me. But collectively, we didn’t perform well, and that’s the reason for these losses.”

As India gears up for the crucial Border Gavaskar Trophy, the team will need to regroup and refine their strategies to keep their WTC ambitions alive.