How can India qualify for WTC final 2025 after loss in Melbourne Test vs Australia? Qualification scenarios explained

India WTC final qualification scenario: India's World Test Championship final chances hang by a thread after a defeat in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

By: Sports Desk
Updated: December 30, 2024 12:06 PM IST

2 min read

India's WTC final qualification chances appear slim after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. (AP)

India’s ICC World Test Championship final qualification chances have grown slimmer after losing the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia by 184 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday.

Falling behind in the Boxing Day Test by a considerable margin within the first two days, India’s WTC 2025 final chances hit a major roadblock before the New Year’s Test in Sydney, starting January 3.

India’s WTC points percentage (PCT) slipped from 57.29 to 55.88 after the draw in Brisbane last week and it plunged further down to 52.77 with the latest result. Rohit Sharma’s team remain the third spot on the WTC standings, behind Australia (61.45) and South Africa (66.67), who secured their berth in next year’s final at Lord’s after beating Pakistan on Sunday at Centurion.

READ: South Africa qualify for WTC 2025 Final

Can India qualify for WTC final if they lose or draw Melbourne Test?

Only eight points, equivalent to two draws, separate Australia and India on the WTC standings. While India have only one game to go after the MCG Test, Australia have three more matches (two against Sri Lanka) left in this edition. Both teams will contest for a total of 228 points, increasing the importance of their two head-to-head contests in Melbourne and Sydney.

India’s WTC final scenarios after MCG loss

If INDIA finish series 2-2 with win in Sydney, India will end their cycle with 126 points and a 55.26 PCT. Australia can then overhaul India with two draws or at least a win in Sri Lanka.
If INDIA finish series 1-2 with draw in Sydney, they will end up with 118 points, which Australia would have overhauled by the end of the series.

Updated WTC points table after India vs Australia 4th Test on December 30, 2024

Pos.	Team	Matches				Points Played	Points	PCT
Pos.	Team	P	W	L	D	Points Played	Points	PCT
1	South Africa (Q)	11	7	3	1	132	88	66.67
2	Australia	16	10	4	2	192	118	61.45
3	India	18	9	7	2	216	114	52.77
4	New Zealand	14	7	7	0	168	81	48.21
5	Sri Lanka	11	5	6	0	132	60	45.45
6	England	22	11	10	1	264	114	43.18
7	Bangladesh (E)	12	4	8	0	144	45	31.25
8	Pakistan (E)	11	4	7	0	132	40	30.30
9	West Indies (E)	11	2	7	2	132	32	24.24

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