Revealed: How can India qualify for WTC final after SA almost book spot following SL series win

India National Cricket Team have found themselves in the spot of bother in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship points table. Things look bleak for them as their road to reach the final has become very tough, especially after their loss to Australia in Adelaide.

India were at the top of the ICC World Test Championship points table after they beat Bangladesh in the two-match Test series at home. At that time they needed just 5 wins from the 8 games to seal their place in the final of the Championship, with three games set to be played at home.

However, a mishap happened for them as they went on to face the whitewash in the three-match Test series against the New Zealand National Cricket Team. This dented their chances to reach the final of the ICC World Test Championship and put them under massive pressure.

India started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on a high as they beat Australia by a massive margin of 295 runs

India then started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on a high as they beat Australia by a massive margin of 295 runs. This put them a step forward on their road to the ICC World Test Championship final but the joy didn't last long as they went on to face the loss in the second game at Adelaide.

With the defeat in the Adelaide Test, India slipped down to third on points table of the ICC World Test Championship. While this was not enough, the South Africa National Cricket Team also made things tough for them as they all but have sealed the spot for the summit clash, to be played in June next year.

South Africa have almost sealed one spot in the ICC World Test Championship final

South Africa clinched the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka after they won the second Test by a massive margin of 109 runs. The win took them to the top of the points table with a PCT of 63.33%. To make it into the final, they just need to win one game out of their remaining two games against Pakistan.

With one spot in the ICC World Test Championship final almost sealed, the pressure will now be on India. To make it into the final of the ICC World Test Championship, the Rohit Sharma-led side will have to come up with a massive effort in the remaining three games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

India's scenario to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship

India cannot afford to lose a single game and if that happens, it would almost mean curtains for the team in the ICC World Test Championship. They need to win the series by the margin of 3-1 to make their case strong. Even winning the series by 2-1 would not guarantee them a place in the summit clash.

If India win by 2-1, then they would want Sri Lanka to whitewash Australia in the two-match series next year, as it would allow Rohit Sharma-led side to go ahead. However, if the Border-Gavaskar series ends on a 2-2 draw, India would be hoping Sri Lanka either beat Australia 2-0 or etch two draws.

In this scenario, India will be able to qualify for the final at 55.26%. In this scenario, Australia will end with a similar PCT as well, but India will go through to Lord's by virtue of claiming more series wins during the WTC cycle.

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