The skipper Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team lost their second Test against Tom Latham-led New Zealand by 113 runs at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday. This significantly damaged India’s chances for their third World Test Championship (WTC) final in a row.
While chasing 359 runs to level the three-match Test series, India’s batting order collapsed like a pack of cards on a turning track on Day 3, and they were bundled up for 245 runs in 60.2 overs.
Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 77 runs off 65 balls, and Ravindra Jadeja who scored 42 runs, no other batter could stand for long on the crease in the second innings.
According to stats, Tom Latham’s squad joins a select club after this series win. India had previously lost only three test series on home soil since 2000 — to South Africa (2000), Australia (2004-05) and England 12 years ago.
Before this, New Zealand has toured India since 1955 and had only managed to win two tests in India before this series — in 1969 and 1988.
India’s chances to qualify for WTC 2025:
Following New Zealand’s win in the second Test, India’s WTC points percentage dipped from 74 percent to 62.82 percent within eight days.
But Rohit and Co. will still lead the WTC standings by a slender margin of 62.50 over second-placed Australia.
India cannot afford to suffer another defeat in its remaining six matches if it wants to qualify for the final without depending on others.
According to the stats, India can now only afford a maximum of one draw and five wins to finish with a PCT of 71.05.
After winning all six remaining Tests, India will accumulate 170 points at a fabulous PCT of 74.56. This means that India will have to win the final Test against New Zealand and defeat Australia by 5-0.
Also, Rohit Sharma and co will have to maintain their PCT over 60 and India must win at least two Tests and draw four matches for that.
India’s WTC ranking:
According to International Cricket Council’s WTC current ranking, despite India is still at the top with 98 point in 13 Test matches – where it won 8, lost 4, drawn 1 – other teams have improved their points.
Ranking-wise, Australia are at the second spot with 90 points — played 12, won 8, lost 3, drawn 1, while Sri Lanka is placed at the third spot. They have played 9 Test matches, won 5, lost 4 and their points stand at 60.
After winning the series against India by 2-0, New Zealand has improved its ranking and is at fourth spot with 60 points. They have played 10 Test matches, winning 5 and losing 5.
South Africa remains in fifth spot with 40 points. They played 7 Tests, winning 3, losing 3, and drawing 1.
England has played the most Tests among all the teams, and its points are 93. In 19 Tests, England won 9, lost 9, and drew 1.
Pakistan is in seventh place, with 40 points after playing 10 Tests, of which it won 4 and lost 6.
Bangladesh and West Indies are in eighth and ninth place, with 33 and 20 points, respectively, in nine Test matches played. Bangladesh has won 3, while West Indies won one. Both of them lost 6 matches.