While India have still not officially sealed a place for themselves at the World Test Championship final, ex-India cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar reckons that the Men in Blue would be able to reach the final irrespective of the result of the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
While India need to win the Test match to set up a clash with Australia in the summit clash, even a defeat or a tie could be enough for them to play the final but in that case the fate will depend on the result of the Sri Lanka-New Zealand series.
If Sri Lanka manage to win both the Test matches against the Kiwis then they would overtake India in the WTC points table to reach the final, however, if the series ends in 1-1 draw, or they end up winning 1-0 or lose 0-1 or 0-2 then in all those circumstances, the Rohit Sharma-led side would head into the finale.
In this context, Manjrekar thinks India would proceed to the final.
I think India will get to the WTC Final: Manjrekar
"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," Manjrekar told Star Sports.
"So 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," he added.
Talking about the match, the visitors have ended Day 1 of the Test match on 255/4 with Usman Khawaja scoring his maiden hundred in and against India. Mohammed Shami was the pick of the bowlers for the home team as he finished Day 1 with figures of 2 for 65 while R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the other wicket takers on the day.