Australia vs India: A Key Duel with Major Implications
The series between Australia and India, by itself, is a sporting event of great relevance. However, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June, the context becomes even more crucial for both teams.
New Zealand’s 2-0 victory against the West Indies places them in third place in the championship table. If they repeat the result against Pakistan, both Australia and India will have to work hard to stay above.
India’s Path to Classification
India has played 4 series, accumulating 360 points with a percentage of 75%. They have two series left in the current cycle, against Australia and England, both of four matches, with the same point allocation: 30 for a win and 10 for a draw.
If New Zealand gets all the points against Pakistan, their total will rise to 420, with a percentage of 70%. India will need to surpass that 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 by winning five matches or winning four and drawing three.Given India’s excellent home record, they 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 matches in Australia to reach 150 points.
If India loses to Australia by 1-2, they will need 110 points from the series against England. The only way to reach 110 points is by winning all four matches, as a win grants 30 points and a draw, 10.
The Situation in Australia
Australia has played 3 series, with 296 points and a percentage of 82.22%. They need to surpass 420 points to have a percentage higher than 70%, if the series against South Africa takes place. If it is canceled, their goal will be to surpass 336 points.
The series against South Africa is expected to be three matches, with 40 points at stake for a win and 13 for a draw.Despite injury concerns, Australia is in a solid position, thanks to the points already accumulated. If the series against India ends 2-2, Australia will have 356 points, with a percentage of 74.17%. A 1-0 victory 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%.
