WTC final qualification scenarios: How can India qualify for the World Test Championship final after their 113-run loss to New Zealand?
Team India faces a series defeat at home for the first time since 2012 after New Zealand beat the hosts by 113 runs in the second match of the series which was played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. With this result, India have also lost consecutive Tests at home for the first time since the aforementioned period.
New Zealand won the first Test in Bengaluru by chasing down the total of 107 with ease. Heading into the second Test, a slow turner was prepared and the visitors made the most of the conditions on offer, scoring 259 thanks to half-centuries from Devon Conway (76) and Rachin Ravindra (65).
Team India would be bowled out for 156, with Mitchell Santner running riot and registering figures of 7/53.
New Zealand would then double down on their batting efforts and register a score of 255, setting the hosts a target of 359 to win. Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal (77) and Ravindra Jadeja (42), no other Indian batter was able to score in excess of 30 as the hosts were bowled out for 245 and conceded the game and the series to the Black Caps.
With this defeat, Team India has now missed out on 24 points in this series. They have 98 points out of 13 Tests so far with an impressive points percentage of 62.82.
To qualify for the WTC final at Lords, London, Team India will have to win the match in Mumbai. Following that, India will need four wins in Australia, which will boost the points tally to 146 and the points percentage to 67.59.
If not, they will have to hope that Sri Lanka loses both their series to Australia (at home) and South Africa (away). India will also hope that England beat New Zealand later this year to improve their chances.
Only five matches remain for Team India in the 2023-25 WTC Cycle
The Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 will be the last series for India before they learn their fate in the World Test Championship. The five-match Test series has 60 points in store for either side.
Team India will take on Australia in the series opener from November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. This will be followed by a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval from December 6.
The Boxing Day Test will be played from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the final game of the tour will be played from January 3 at the Syndey Cricket Ground.