India have dealt a major blow in their quest for making into the World Test Championship 2025 Final, as Rohit Sharma & Co. are chasing a hat-trick of appearances in the ICC mega event. India have appeared in the 2021 and 2023, but ended up losing in both occasions to New Zealand and Australia respctively.
South Africa are one win away from officially qualifying for the final, whereas, Australia will find themselves in a comfortable position, by avoiding one more defeat to India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series.
India have made things tough for themselves, and they have no one but themselves to blame for their 'unreal' collapse. Rohit Sharma's side were storming through to the Final before the New Zealand series, and know that only a matter of 3-4 wins will ensure their qualification.
But New Zealand had other plans, as a depleted side led by Tom Latham managed to defy odds, as not only they won their first Test match in decades, but also ended up winning the Test series for the very first on Indian soil.
If that was not enough, New Zealand ended up giving India their biggest humiliation, by handing the side it's first-ever Test series whitewash on home soil in 90 years.
Possible Scenarios For India To Qualify For WTC 2025 Final
India have two Test matches remaining in their WTC 2023-25 cycle, and here are the possibel scenarios for them to make into WTC 2025 Final:
1. Direct Qualification: The only method left for the Indian side to attain a direct qualification is by going all guns blazing in Melbourne and Sydney, and attaining victories to seal a hat-trick of WTC Finals.
2. Indirect Qualification: There are few scenarios that can lead to India's qualification for the WTC 2025 Final, but that will be requiring help from their fellow sub-continent nations:
- 1 Win, 1 Draw Vs Australia: In this case, India will be needing help from Sri Lanka, as the latter then must avoid Australia from clean sweeping them.
- 2 Draws: In this case, Sri Lanka has to make sure that they don't lose even a single Test to Australia, else, Australia will eliminate India from the race.
- 1 Defeat Vs Australia: If India ends up losing yet another Test against Australia, they will be needing a miracle to qualify. Sri Lanka will have to hand Australia a 2-0 Test series defeat.