World Test Championship Final: How Can India Qualify For Summit Clash After Defeat Against Australia In Third Test

IND vs AUS: India were outplayed by Australia by 9 wickets in the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India and Australia will lock horns in the fourth Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad beginning on March 9.

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India's defeat to Australia in the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has changed the qualification scenario for the World Test Championship final. An Aussie win has helped them seal a place in the final of the 2021-23 WTC irrespective of the result of the last Test match of the series. The pressure is now on India to win at any cost in Ahmedabad to keep their destiny in their own hands.

Supposing if India win the last Test match, then it would be an India vs Australia WTC final in this cycle. The Men in Blue's PCT will end at 63.0, in this case and they would finish second on the table. In this case, India would not have to depend on Sri Lanka's result against New Zealand.

However, if India either lose or secure a draw in the final Test match of the series even then the Rohit Sharma-led side can play the final but then they will have to depend on the results of Sri Lanka's Test series against New Zealand and hope that the island nation do not clean sweep the Kiwis.

A huge win for Australia sees them qualify for the #WTC23 Final 👏

Here's what India and Sri Lanka need to secure the other spot ⬇️https://t.co/yJGXo1VuG0

— ICC (@ICC) March 3, 2023

So the equation for the WTC race has come down to two teams with one team having already secured the top spot. Either Sri Lanka or India will reach the finals and play Australia but Sri Lanka's path depends upon India either losing or drawing their last Test but India are pretty much their masters of their own ship, as things stand.

ICC World Test Championship 2021 - 2023

POS	TEAM	PCT (%)	PTS	MATCHES W L D				SER	PEN
1	AUSTRALIA	68.52	148	11 3 4				6	0
2	INDIA	60.29	123	10 5 2				6	-5
3	SRI LANKA	53.33	64	5 4 1				5	0
4	SOUTH AFRICA	52.38	88	7 6 1				6	0
5	ENGLAND	46.97	124	10 8 4				6	-12
6	PAKISTAN	38.1	64	4 6 4				6	0
7	WEST INDIES	37.5	54	4 6 2				6	-2
8	NEW ZEALAND	27.27	36	2 6 3				5	0
9	BANGLADESH	11.11	16	1 10 1				6	0

PCT (%): Percentage L: Number of matches lost SER: Number of series played PTS: Number of points awarded D: Number of matches drawn PEN: Number of penalty overs W: Number of matches won