New Delhi, Feb 19 () India’s massive victory against Australia in the second Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series here on Sunday pushed them closer to a spot in the final and ended South Africa’s hopes in the World Test Championships.
An emphatic six-wicket victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series and helped them retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The easy win saw Rohit Sharma’s side move up to a win percentage of 64.06 and they are now firmly in second place in the World Test Championships standings.
However, the finalists of the inaugural edition in 2021 are yet to lock in their place in the Final as Sri Lanka can still overtake them if results go against the hosts in the next two matches of the series against Australia.
The race for the WTC Final is now down to three sides, with South Africa ruled out of reaching the final following India’s triumph in Delhi.
With the top two teams in the ICC World Test Championship standings securing a place’in June’s Final, the result in Delhi still means that Australia and India control their own destiny as the race for the sports in the final gets into the home stretch, the ICC said in a release on Sunday.
Australia remain atop the standings despite their second successive defeat reducing their percentage tally to 66.67%, while India widen the gap between themselves and Sri Lanka in third place, who are at 53.33%.
The highest fourth-placed South Africa, who play West Indies in two TEsts from February 28, can rise to is 55 per cent, which is less than the lowest amount that India can finish on.
Sri Lanka now head to New Zealand next month knowing that not only must they win both Tests in their two-match series to stand any chance of qualification, but they are also reliant on favourable results in the remaining Tests between India and Australia.
The equation is now clearer India have to win the third Test against Australia, which starts in Indore on March 1 and secure their place at The Oval. Anything less, and Australia will become the first team to qualify for the World Test Championship Final.
With so much still to play for, the race to qualification promises to provide more tension and excitement before the top two teams take to the field on 7 June with the coveted ICC World Test Championship Mace and a place in history at stake.
In case India lose the third Test in Indore, Sri Lanka can move closer to the second spot by winning the first Test against New Zealand, which will be played at Christchurch from March 9-13.
So, the onus is on Rohit Sharma’s team to win another Test and cement their position in the WTC Final.
bsk