Revealed: How can India qualify for WTC final after Test series loss to New Zealand

The Maharashtra Cricket Association in Pune saw the 12-year streak of the India National Cricket Team getting shattered. The Rohit Sharma-led side faced a horrible 113-run loss in the second Test of the series against the Kiwis, conceding an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match Test series.

India, who faced a disappointing loss in the Bengaluru Test, couldn't make a comeback as they faced their second successive Test loss. This saw them not only losing the game but also the series as well as the important points in the World Test Championship points table ahead of the final.

India face 113-run defeat in the Pune Test

India were vbehind in the game right from the start and couldn't get going. They first conceded a lead of over 100 runs and then New Zealand produced a great effort with the bat, setting a target of massive 359 runs for the Rohit Sharma-led side to chase and level the series.

However, in what was another horrible effort with the bat, India got all out for 245 runs to lose the game by a massive margin of 113 runs. This has put the India National Cricket Team in the spot of bother now in terms of their chances to qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship.

India's PCT drops to 62.82 per cent

Following the loss in the second game, India's WTC points percentage (PCT) dipped from 68.06 percent to 62.82 percent. Although they are still at the top of the tablet, their chances of making it into the final of the Test Championship look very low now, especially with 5 overseas matches around the corner.

India are currently just ahead of Australia in the WTC points table, as the Pat Cummins-led side has 62.50. The Rohit Sharma-led now have 6 games remaining in the current cycle, one against the New Zealand National Cricket Team and 5 against the Aussies in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

India's chances to qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship

To qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship, India now need to make sure that they win the next game against the New Zealand National Cricket Team. The last game of the series will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from 1st November.

After that, they need to make sure that they don't lose a single against Australia. They can afford a maximum of one draw. If they win five out of their remaining games, they will move to a PCT of 71.05, and 6 wins will take them to 170 points at a commanding 74.56 PCT.

However, to qualify without depending on the others, India will need to win 4 out of their remaining 6 games. They cannot afford to lose, and if that happens, they will be depending on the others and might even miss out on playing the final of the ICC World Test Championship.

To stay in contention, India will need to win a minimum of two games, but then it will all be dependent on the others. Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka are the other teams that can hamper their chances in the remainder of this cycle.