India vs Australia: Crucial Requirements for the Cricket World Cup Final

Australia vs India: A Crucial Duel with Major Implications

The series between Australia and India, by itself, is a major event. However, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June, the context becomes even more significant for both teams. New Zealand’s 2-0 victory against the West Indies positions them third in the championship table. If they repeat that result against Pakistan, both Australia and India will need to work hard to stay above them.

India’s Path to Classification

India has played 4 series, accumulating 360 points and a percentage of 75. It still has two series to play in the current cycle: against Australia and England, both of four tests. The point allocation is the same for both series: 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. Therefore, India needs to surpass that 70% to secure their position. To achieve this, India needs at least 150 points out of the 240 available in these two series. This can happen in two ways: by winning five matches or by winning four and drawing three.

Given India’s impressive home record, they have a good chance of getting full 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 by a margin of 1-2, they will need 110 points from the series against England. The only way to achieve this, considering that a win awards 30 points and a draw 10, is to win all four matches.

The Situation in Australia

Australia has played 3 series, with 296 points and a percentage of 82.22. They need to exceed 420 points to maintain a percentage above 70, if the series against South Africa takes place. If it is canceled, their goal will be to exceed 336 points. The series against South Africa is expected to be three tests, with 40 points at stake per victory and 13 for a draw. Despite injury concerns, Australia is in a strong position, thanks to the points accumulated. If the series against India ends 2-2, Australia will have 356 points and a percentage of 74.17. Even a 1-0 series against South Africa would take them to 422 points, surpassing New Zealand. If they lose 1-2 against India, Australia will need a 2-0 victory against South Africa to stay above 70%.