How can India qualify for the WTC final after a 3-0 whitewash?

India has etched its name in the unwanted record book after suffering a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand on home soil.

Before the Test series against New Zealand, India dominated the top spot of the 2023-2025 WTC points table but things changed after Kiwis whitewashed Rohit Sharma’s side in the three-match Test series.

As a result of the loss, India lost its top spot in the World Test Championship standings and dropped to second place, with its points percentage dropping to 58.33 percent. As the Border-Gavaskar series approaches, Australia now sits at the top spot, with a points percentage of 62.50 percent.

New Zealand, meanwhile, regained the fourth spot they lost to South Africa after the Proteas whitewashed Bangladesh earlier this week. Their points percentage stands at 54.55 percent.

In the third match of the Test series against New Zealand, Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips unleashed a spider’s web on Indian batters as the Kiwis defeated India by 25 runs and became the first visiting side to whitewash India in a series of three or more more matches.

India started the series on a disappointing note after the hosts suffered an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Bengaluru. In the Pune Test, Rohit Sharma-led India tried to make a comeback in the three-match series but the hosts eventually lost to New Zealand by 113 runs.

As of now, India will be looking to perform well against Australia on home soil in the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy to confirm their place in the 2023-2025 WTC final.

The team management will be looking forward to correcting the mistakes made by India in the series against the Kiwis. One of the main concerns for the team’s senior brass will be to examine how the Indian batsmen have performed against the spinners.

As of now, India needs to win four matches against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to reach a place in the WTC final. The BGT series will be a five-match series and India can afford to lose just one match in it.

The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test in Perth.

Over the years, India has gained the upper hand over Australia in the series. India has won the previous four series against Australia in a row, including two wins in Australia in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons.

This has made India a much more successful side in the series, with India winning the BGT ten times and Australia five times, with their last series win coming during the 2014–15 season. Their last series win in India was in 2004-05.

The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.

The usual Boxing Day Test, taking place from December 26 to 30 at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, will take the series to the penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test, taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the climax of the series and promises a dramatic conclusion to a thrilling match.

This article was generated from an automated feed from a news agency without any changes to the text.