IND vs AUS: India is already in ICC WTC Final says Sanjay Manjrekar

IND vs AUS: India is already in ICC WTC Final says Sanjay Manjrekar: While team India continues to push for its appearance in the ICC WTC Final as it takes on Australia in the fourth test match, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes India has already reached the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which is scheduled to be held at Oval, London, starting from June 7.

Speaking after the stumps on day 1 of the IND vs AUS 4th test match, Manjrekar said although India will have to officially qualify for the ICC WTC Final, it has already reached there.

?I believe India are already in the final. But, you still have to actually, you know, officially get there. So that tension was there. Plus the series hanging the way it has, Australia making that brilliant comeback in Indore and plus a figure like Narendra Modi at the ground. That buzz was there. Every box was ticked before the start of this Test,? Manjrekar told Star Sports.

Notably, the only team on India's way to the ICC WTC 2021-23 final is Sri Lanka, which is placed third in the points table. Sri Lanka has a two-match test series against New Zealand, which starts later this week. The island nation has to strike a clean sweep against the Kiwis in order to seal its place in the WTC final. Anything less than a clean sweep would result in India's advancement to the ICC WTC Final.

"It's a great setting when people are there, every seat was taken. World Test Championship takes for India, on the verge of getting there. I think India will get there. I don't think Sri Lanka are capable of upsetting New Zealand," he added.

For India to keep things in its hands, it needs to win the ongoing IND vs AUS 4th Test match in Narendra Modi Stadium. A win in the 4th test match would help India make its place in the ICC WTC Final.

Meanwhile, if India draws or losses the ongoing IND vs AUS 4th test, it will have to hope for Sri Lanka that it doesn't get a complete hold of the New Zealand two-game test series.

Talking about the IND vs AUS 4th Test match, Australia managed to score 255 runs in the loss of 4 wickets on day 1 of the test. Aussie opener Usman Khawaja returned unbeaten at 104 runs at the stumps on the first day. Meanwhile, Mohammad Shami scalped two wickets and R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja got one apiece in their bag.

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