ICC World Test Championship: India's WTC Final qualification scenario after AUS vs SA draw

South Africa on Friday managed to pull off a draw in the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney. Australia needed 14 wickets on Day 5 to hand a series clean sweep to the Proteas but the visitors played the game with ease to secure a draw in the match. The rain-curtailed match saw the Pat Cummins-led side score a mammoth 475/4 and declare in the first innings. Usman Khawaja smashed an unbeaten 195 runs to help Australia give a beating to South African bowlers. Steve Smith poured salt on the South African wounds with a century of his own. 

Australia then managed to restrict South Africa to 149/6 in 50 overs on Day 4 of the match. Keshav Maharaj along with Simon Harmer forged an 80-run partnership to deny Australians a chance to force a follow-on early. However, the home side succeeded in picking four more wickets to force the follow-on on Dean Elgar's team. But South Africa maintained their cool and fend Australia off with a second-innings score of 106/2 at stumps on the final day.  With this, South Africa lost the three-match series 2-0 and gave Australia a huge chance of competing in the final of the World Test Championship.

ICC World Test Championship 2021-23: Standings  

India's chances of qualifying for the WTC final 

• India would need to win at least three of their four planned home Test matches against Australia in February-March to advance to the coveted tournament's final.
• India will need to do well in the Border-Gavaskar series if they want to maintain their standing. In addition to New Zealand, India would like to see them succeed in their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
• India might advance to the WTC final with even a 2-0 series victory over Australia, but they will require New Zealand to defeat Sri Lanka in one of the following Test series games.
• If Sri Lanka defeats New Zealand 2-0, it will be bad for India if they don't win their three games against Australia.
• If India loses the Test series against Australia at home, its prospects of competing in the WTC final are over. Although India has a better record because they have never suffered a WTC home loss.

Image: AP