Dubai 13th of September : Dean Elgar’s South Africa losing the three-Test series against England recently could increase India’s chances of reaching their second consecutive World Test Championship final next year, considering that the loss has led to lots of movements in the WTC charts.With Rohit Sharma’s team set go to Bangladesh for two Tests later in the year, a positive outcome during the series will make the competition for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home in the beginning of next year, a contest that will be highly contested.
India is currently at fourth position in the WTC table — will fight hard against Pat Cummin’s Australia to win the series and earn for the WTC final spot.
India have a fantastic home record in recent times against Australia and are confident of winning the series and get a second chance to play in the World Test Championship final, following the first final of the tournament in England where they fell to Kane Williamson’s New Zealand last year.
Also, there’s the possibility that India could play their arch-rival Pakistan in the WTC final if both teams be able to get everything going their way in the coming months as per ICC.
Australia are currently leading the standings and is well placed to make it to the 2023 final, however there’s a chance of six teams in the race to make it to the final.With 70 percent of potential points, and a two-Test series in the home stadium against West Indies, followed by another backyard three-Test series with South Africa and a four-match away tour to India, Australia are currently in an ideal position to be able to secure one of the two final spots.
However, the result of the series against India will likely determine their fate.
With Rohit Sharma’s team away from the home ground for four matches in an arena they haven’t had a win since 2004.Australians will be required to avoid defeat in order to make it to the WTC final.
Second-placed South Africa with 60 per percent of potential points, and a series against Australia (away three Tests) and West Indies (home, two Tests) in the near future, have a lot to do following the 2-1 defeat to England.Although they dropped the top position to Australia but the Proteas remain in an excellent position to get to the final next year.
Third-placed Sri Lanka — 53.33 percent of possible points has a chance too with an away two-Test series that will determine the outcome in the current WTC cycle.The fact that they’re playing only one series puts their work difficult, but the scoring the maximum number of points in New Zealand would take them to 61.1 percent, which means they’ll require help from less-than-favoured teams farther down the list to get in the top two.
As Pakistan, with 51.85 per percent of potential points is languishing in fifth position on the current standings, a few points behind India but they do have five Tests playing on home on their soil to make up lost ground.If they win all five of those matches — England (home three Tests), New Zealand (home two Tests) They will climb to 69.05 percentage points, which could be enough to make it to the WTC final.
Babar Azam’s team isn’t able to afford any slip-ups, with each Test they do not win being negative for their chances of finishing in the top two places in the table.
Sixth-placed West Indies, with 50 percent of potential points could finish with 65.38 percentage points but the team must beat all of the four games -in the form of Australia (away two Tests), South Africa (away two Tests, away) -two Tests, and Australia (away) in difficult conditions in the away field to secure a place in the final of the WTC23.
7th placed England, with 38.6 per percent of possible points are the most consistent team, but unfortunately, it’s a matter of too little , too far for Ben Stokes’ side.They also have a three-Test away series with Pakistan in the harsh conditions of the subcontinent.
The shaky Ashes series at the beginning of this year almost ended their destiny.
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