IND vs NZ: India has been the only side who have repeatedly made it to the finals of the World Test Championship, which is held following a long two-year group stage match in the longest format of the game.
The first final of the championship was played between India and New Zealand, while the next WTC final, which was scheduled for 2023, featured the Indian team against the Australians, as in both scenarios India lost the ultimate test to the neighbouring nations.
This time around as well, India stands as the firm team as they have established themselves at the top of the WTC 2023-25 points table, with their latest win in the red-ball format coming against Bangladesh in a 2-match home series.
Even after the first test loss at the Chinnaswamy against New Zealand, India’s chances at the WTC were not shaken. The ongoing second test at Pune is turning out to be another nightmare home test for the Indian team.
However, Indian spinners Washington Sundar and Ravi Ashwin aced with the ball as India reduced the visitors to a minor total of 259 in the first inning. They faced a blow on the slower and turning pitch of Pune.
Mitchell Santner overpowered the Indians and seemed to have trapped them in their own hole, as the Kiwi spinner picked 7 wickets alongside Glenn Phillips; he restricted the hosts to only 156, which gave the Kiwis an early 103-run lead.
After such developments, which seem very abrupt for a team of India’s calibre, questions have arisen over India’s WTC chances ahead of a potential loss in the Pune Test.
India has played 12 matches in the WTC and has managed eight wins and is hence placed at the top with a PCT of 68.060 with 98 points. On the other hand, defending champions Australia are second in the points table with 90 points and a PCT of 62.50.
The teams that can fancy their chances any further lie in Sri Lanka, placed third, and will next host Pakistan at home, while New Zealand and South Africa are placed next, and can fancy their chances at the WTC final.
South Africa is currently the most probable side to make their first entry into the WTC final if Australia fails to advance with losses in the BGT. South Africa is in a situation to advance only if they win all of their games.
However, if India loses the second game, they can still make it straight into the WTC finals even if they win at least 3 of their remaining 6 games in the WTC. The team will travel to Australia for the BGT, sighting their form in the nation only a layman can way off India’s chances into the third consecutive WTC final.
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