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Loss to Kiwis has made India’s task to qualify for WTC Final tougher; Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka all close in
MUMBAI: India skipper Rohit Sharma said after the series defeat against New Zealand in Pune that the team isn’t thinking about the WTC final yet.
But with their lead over second placed Australia trimmed to decimals and other teams closing in, they will have a lot to play for – read 12 WTC points for a win – when they square off against the Black Caps in the third Test from Friday at the Wankhede Stadium.
They also need a minimum of three wins in the five-Test series against Australia Down Under.
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With plenty of Tests to be played across the world in the next couple of months, here’s a look at how top five teams are placed in the WTC standings and the road ahead in their quest to reach the final at Lord’s in June 2025.
INDIA
WTC RANK: 1 (62.82 %points)
TESTS REMAINING: 6 (1 home vs New Zealand, 5 away vs Australia)
India were expected to win all five home Tests this season, which would have made their task of qualifying for the final a bit easier. They started with two convincing wins over Bangladesh but two defeats against New Zealand have upset their plans.
Now, they must win the third Test against the visitors and then face a tough task of toppling the Aussies on their home turf.
A 3-2 result in their favour will be an ideal scenario but say if they end up winning just two Tests of the five then they will have to depend on other teams’ results to help them qualify for the final.
MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE POINTS THEY CAN REACH: 74.56.
WITH THREE WINS: 58.8
AUSTRALIA
WTC RANK: 2 (62.50)
TESTS REMAINING: 7 (5 home vs India, 2 away vs Sri Lanka)
Australia will play the most Tests among the teams that have a chance of qualifying for the final. Up first is the five-game series against India. They lost the last two series (four-game) against them but with a full squad at their disposal, they will be eager to avenge those defeats.
The two-Test series against Sri Lanka may be a potential banana skin for them as they have lost four of the last five Tests in the Island nation.
MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE POINTS THEY CAN REACH: 76.3.
WITH THREE WINS: 55.3
SRI LANKA
WTC RANK: 3 (55.56)
TESTS REMAINING: 4 (2 away vs South Africa, 2 home vs Australia)
It remains to be seen which Sri Lanka turns up during the two-Test away series against South Africa-one that upset the odds to win the series 2-0 in 2018-19 or the one which lost by the same margin in 2020-21 the last time they visited.
One suspects, the Islanders will be more comfortable when they will be back on home turf against the Australians, who they have dominated in the past.
MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE POINTS THEY CAN REACH: 69.2.
WITH THREE WINS: 61.5
NEW ZEALAND
WTC RANK: 4 (50)
TESTS REMAINING: 4 (1 away vs India, 3 home vs England)
The two wins against India have put them in the fray for the final and they will look to carry on that good work in the Mumbai Test. How they perform in the three-Test home series against England will determine how their challenge develops.
England’s last three series in New Zealand have resulted in two 1-0 wins for the hosts and the last one ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw.
MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE POINTS THEY CAN REACH: 64.3.
WITH THREE WINS: 57.1
SOUTH AFRICA
WTC RANK: 5 (47.62)
TESTS REMAINING: 5 (1 away vs Bangladesh 4, home-2 each vs Sri Lanka and Pakistan)
Bangladesh are expected to dish out a rank turner in the second Test against South Africa at Chattogram, so how the latter fares on it remains to be seen.
If the Proteas end up losing that Test, they will look to win their remaining four home games to put themselves in the top two spots. The last time they hosted Sri Lanka and Pakistan, they won 2-0 and 3-0.
MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE POINTS THEY CAN REACH: 69.4.
WITH THREE WINS: 52.8
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