Sunil Gavaskar has shared his thoughts on Team India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
India are now in danger of missing out on next year’s WTC final at Lord’s after suffering a heartbreaking 3-0 loss to New Zealand in the recently concluded series at home. Team India needs to beat Australia 4-0 in the five-match series between the two teams to enter the top two and qualify for the finals.
A 4-0 win would take India’s scoring percentage to 65.79%, 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 is guaranteed to finish in the top two. Even if India don’t win the series 4-0, if other results go their way, they can make it to the WTC final.
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Sunil Gavaskar on India’s chances:
The Indian team has won the last two Test series in Australia. In the 2018/19 season, India defeated Australia 2-1 to register their first Test series win on Australian soil. Later in the 2020/21 season, India repeated the feat with another 2–1 series win.
Even though India have won the last two Test series in Australia, Sunil Gavaskar believes the team cannot defeat Australia 4-0 in their own backyard. Speaking to India Today, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that while India could win the series 3-1, a 4-0 win looks very unlikely.
He also revealed that he does not see India qualifying for the WTC finals. Sunil Gavaskar said that India should only focus on winning the series in Australia.
“No, no. I don’t think India can beat Australia 4-0 in a Test series. I’d be over the moon if they did. But 4-0? India can win 3-1, 4. -0 is what it is… Test World I don’t want to talk about the Championship Final.
“Now just focus on winning the series in Australia. Don’t care if you win 1-0,2-0,3-0, 3-1,2-1. But go and win. Because we all are. Indian cricket fans again they will get back to feeling good,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, the much-awaited 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 in Adelaide from December 6.
The third Test will be played in Brisbane from December 14 before hosting the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The five-match series will conclude with the New Year’s Test in Sydney.
