India's WTC Hopes In Jeopardy? Gabba Test Rain Impact On WTC Points Table Explained

A rain-affected Gabba Test could have major repercussions for India's campaign in World Test Championship (WTC).

A win for India at Gabba would give them a 2-1 lead in BGT and boost their WTC standings, pushing them to second place in points table.

Source : @BCCI / X

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl first, putting Australia into bat on day 1 of the ongoing third Test between India and Australia in Brisbane's Gabba.

Despite the overcast conditions, Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney provided a steady start, avoiding any early dismissals in the first ten overs. However, persistent rain marred the day, causing multiple interruptions.

The first rain delay occurred during the sixth over, resulting in a 20-25 minute halt. Play resumed briefly but was interrupted again in the 14th over by heavier rain, leading the umpires to call an early lunch break.

With no improvement in the weather, the second session was also washed out and finally the umpires were left with no option but to call off day 1's play. A rain-affected Gabba Test could have major repercussions for India's campaign in World Test Championship (WTC).

Impact of a draw on India's WTC Chances

If IND vs AUS Gabba Test ends in a draw, there will be no immediate change in the WTC points table. However, it would complicate India's path to WTC final. The team would need to win the remaining two Tests in IND vs AUS Test series and rely on favorable results from other teams to secure a spot. In this scenario, Australia's win percentage would remain at 58.89, while India's would stay at 55.88.

If India wins IND vs AUS 3rd Test in Gabba...

A win for India at Gabba would give them a 2-1 lead in BGT and boost their WTC standings, pushing them to second place in points table. Australia would drop to third place, with their win percentage falling to 56.67.

If Australia wins Gabba Test

An Australian win would strengthen their hold on second place in WTC points table, equaling South Africa's (currently number 1 on points table) win percentage. For India, a loss would make their qualification to WTC final more challenging, increasing the stakes for the remaining matches.