"India cannot beat Australia 4-0": Sunil Gavaskar demotivates Rohit Sharma

Sunil Gavaskar has shared his views on Team India's chances of qualifying for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC).

In the wake of the dismal 3-0 defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the recently concluded series at home, India are now in danger of missing the WTC final at Lord's next year. In order to secure a place in the top two and qualify for the final, Team India need to beat Australia 4-0 in the upcoming five-match series between the two teams.

A 4-0 win will take India's point percentage to 65.79%, which will be more than New Zealand's maximum (64.29%) even if they whitewash England in the three-match series at home. In such a scenario, India are guaranteed to finish in the top two. Even if India do not win the series by 4-0, they can progress to the WTC final if other results go their way.

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Sunil Gavaskar on India's chances:

Team India have won their last two Test series in Australia. In 2018/19, India beat Australia 2-1 to register their first-ever Test series win on the Australian soil. Later in the 2020/21 season, India replicated that feat by registering another 2-1 series win.

Even though India have won their last two Test series in Australia, Sunil Gavaskar believes that the team won't be able to beat Australia 4-0 in their own backyard. Speaking on India Today, the former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar said that while India can win the series 3-1, a 4-0 win looks highly unlikely.

He also made it clear that he does not see India qualifying for the WTC final. Sunil Gavaskar said that India should only focus on winning the series in Australia.

"No, I don't. I actually think that India cannot beat Australia 4-0 in the Test series. I'd be over the moon, if they do that. But 4-0? India can win 3-1, 4-0 is... I don't want to talk about the World Test Championship Final.

"Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia. Never mind whether you win 1-0,2-0,3-0, 3-1,2-1. But go and win. Because that is how all of us Indian cricket fans are going to be back to feeling good again," said Sunil Gavaskar.

Meanwhile, the highly-anticipated Test series between India and Australia will begin on November 22. The first Test will be played in Perth before the teams lock horns in the second Test from December 6 in Adelaide.

The third Test will be played in Brisbane from December 14 before MCG hosts the Boxing Day Test. The five-match series will end with the New Year Test in Sydney.