This was India’s first home series loss in 12 years, and the WTC 2023–25 points table was obviously affected.
WTC Final Qualification Scenario Explained: Following back-to-back home losses to New Zealand, Team India’s hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third consecutive year were severely damaged. When the action shifted to a spinning track in Pune, the Black Caps, captained by Tom Latham, thrashed India by eight wickets in seaming conditions in Bengaluru. In the second Test, India lost by 113 runs after being well outplayed by New Zealand. This was India’s first home series loss in twelve years, and the WTC 2023–25 points table was obviously affected.
Where is India placed on the WTC 2023-25 points table?
Even with the string of comprehensive losses, Rohit Sharma and company continue to dominate the WTC 2023–25 points standings.
By how much has India’s win percentage dropped on the WTC table?
India’s percentage was 74.24% before the series against New Zealand. Earlier this month, India defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in a clean sweep to reach the number. However, in a span of less than 30 days, India’s point percentage witnessed a major drop. It was 68.06 after the loss in Bengaluru and it dropped to 62.82 on Saturday after the 113-run loss in Pune. As a result, Rohit Sharma and his men are now just 0.32 ahead of Australia (62.50), who occupy the second spot.
What does India need to do to qualify for the WTC final?
To qualify for their third consecutive WTC Final without relying on external results, India must win four of their remaining six matches. In addition, India also needs to avoid defeats, which could be a tough ask given five out of the six Tests will be played in Australia.
How does New Zealand’s win benefit other teams in the WTC final race?
The losses to New Zealand have made it possible for teams other than Australia, including Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the Black Caps themselves, to advance to the WTC 2023-25 final, which will take place at Lord’s from June 11 to June 15 of next year. If necessary, June 16 can be used as a reserve day.
What are the qualification scenarios for other teams in the WTC final race?
Sri Lanka: To have an outside chance, the Island Nation must win all of their remaining games and hope that India loses some important points in the process. The schedule for their final four Test matches has not yet been revealed; they will play two away matches against South Africa in December and two home matches against Australia in 2025.
South Africa: In the race for the WTC final, the Proteas are the favorites to defeat India. South Africa are currently engaged in a two-match series against Bangladesh and have already won the first test by seven wickets. They will play four Test matches at home, two against Pakistan and two against Sri Lanka, after they complete a clean sweep to increase their chances. Proteas might win every game they play because of the challenge, which would raise their point total to 69.44. As a result, India will have a difficult time, and even one slip-up in the final six games could cost Rohit and company the victory.
Australia: The defending champions, the Kangaroos, are ranked second and are the favorites to advance to the championship game. They need to win four of their final seven games—two away and five at home—to achieve that. Also, Australia’s next five matches are against India, so despite the two nations holding the top two spots, it is highly unlikely that the 2025 final will be a repeat of the previous cycle.
New Zealand: There is a remote possibility that the Black Caps will advance to the championship game. A 2-0 loss to Sri Lanka, shortly before they left for India for the three-match series, dealt New Zealand a severe blow. The Kiwis, who won their first Test series on Indian soil on Saturday, could suffer from the two defeats. New Zealand will finish with a 64.28 point percentage even if they win all four of their remaining games, which include three against England and one against India in December. At the moment, New Zealand has a point percentage of 50.00.
