NEW DELHI: The upcoming Sydney Test against Australia is a crucial match for Team India, as their chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final hinge on the outcome.
South Africa’s narrow two-wicket win against Pakistan in Centurion confirmed their place as the first team to qualify for the WTC final, scheduled at Lord’s next June.
With only one spot remaining, India, Australia, and Sri Lanka are in contention, but the dynamics are stacked against India after recent setbacks.
Australia’s emphatic 184-run win over India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was a significant blow to India’s aspirations. The defeat saw India drop to third place on the WTC standings, with their win percentage slipping to 52.78—well behind Australia and South Africa.
This was India’s first defeat to significantly shift qualification out of their control in this WTC cycle. A victory at Sydney is non-negotiable for India to keep their hopes alive.
How will a win in Sydney impact India’s WTC Final chances?
Winning at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) would elevate India’s win percentage to 55.26, keeping them in the hunt for the final berth.
However, India would also need favourable results from Australia’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Specifically, India would hope for Australia to fail to secure a win, as any Australian victory against Sri Lanka would end India’s hopes, regardless of India’s performance at the SCG.
Australia, meanwhile, can secure their spot with a win at the SCG. This would raise their win percentage to an unassailable 57, locking them in for the WTC final regardless of Sri Lanka’s performance.
Even if the SCG Test results in a draw, Australia’s chances remain strong, requiring only a single drawn match in their series against Sri Lanka to edge out both India and Sri Lanka.
For India, the stakes are monumental. Failure to win at Sydney would see them eliminated from contention, marking a disappointing end to their WTC campaign. Amid the high stakes and growing tensions, India have decided to drop Rohit Sharma for the fifth and final test of the series, as reported by TimesofIndia.com.
With their destiny tethered to results beyond their control, the Sydney Test appears to be nothing short of make-or-break for India.
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