India vs Australia: How many wins does India need to reach the WTC final?

Australia vs India: A Crucial Duel with Major Implications

The series between Australia and India, a major clash in its own right, takes on an even greater dimension with the World Test Championship (WTC) final on the horizon in June. Both teams have a lot at stake in terms of their ranking. New Zealand’s 2-0 victory over the West Indies puts them in third place in the championship table. If they repeat that result against Pakistan later in the season, both Australia and India will have to work hard to stay above them.

India in the Race for Qualification

India has played 4 series, accumulating 360 points with a percentage of 75%. They still have two series to play in the current cycle, against Australia and England. Both are four-test series, which means the point allocation is the same: 30 points for a win and 10 for a draw. If New Zealand gets all the points from their series against Pakistan, their total will rise to 420, with a percentage of 70%. This means that India must surpass 70% to stay ahead of New Zealand. To achieve this, India needs at least 150 points out of the 240 available in these two series. This can be achieved in two ways: by winning five matches or by winning four and drawing three.

Given India’s outstanding home record, they will have a good chance of getting all the points against England. This means they will need at least one win, or three draws, in the four tests in Australia to reach 150 points.

For example, if India loses against Australia with a score of 1-2, they will need 110 points from the series against England. Since a win awards 30 points and a draw 10, the only way to reach 110 is by winning all four matches.

Australia: Solid Position Despite Challenges

Australia has played 3 series, scoring 296 points with a percentage of 82.22%. Currently, they need to exceed 420 points to have a percentage above 70%, if the series against South Africa takes place. If that series is canceled, their goal will be to exceed 336 points. Since the series against South Africa is expected to be three tests, there will be 40 points available for a win and 13 for a draw.

Despite numerous injury concerns, Australia remains in a strong position, thanks to accumulated points. If the series against India ends 2-2, Australia will be at 356 points, with a percentage of 74.17%. From there, even a 1-0 series against South Africa will propel them to 422 points, surpassing New Zealand. If they lose 1-2 against India, Australia will need a 2-0 series verdict against South Africa to stay above 70%.