India’s hopes of making to the World Test Championship for the third consecutive time took a major hit as they lost the Mumbai Test to New Zealand on Sunday, November 3. The Indian team was able to bundle out New Zealand early in the morning to set themselves a target of 147 runs to chase at the Wankhede stadium. However, what followed after that was something not even the most ardent Indian cricket fan could have imagined.
The Indian batting order would completely collapse in Mumbai as they were left reeling at 29 for 5 during the first session with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failing to make an impact. Rishabh Pant would continue to take the attack to the New Zealand spinners and scored a blazing fifty off 48 balls to give the hosts some hope. After lunch and following Pant’s dismissal, India would completely fold and lose the match by 25 runs. It meant that the Blackcaps won the series 3-0 to enhance their chances of making it to the WTC final as well.
India would slip from the top spot in the WTC standings with the loss and Australia went ahead of them. India had started the series with a percentage above 72 but once the Mumbai Test was done, it dropped down to 58.33.
India now have Sri Lanka (55.56) breathing down their necks. Following their remarkable performance in India, New Zealand moved up to fourth place with a points percentage of 54.55, winning six out of 11 Tests. South Africa follows closely in fifth at 54.17%, with England (40.79%), Pakistan (33.33%), Bangladesh (27.50%), and West Indies (18.52%) in sixth through ninth positions respectively.
Now with the New Zealand series behind them, India will need to pick themselves and get ready for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the 5 matches that remain for them in the current WTC cycle, India will need to win 4 and draw 1 of the Tests to make it to the final in Lord’s without depending on other results.
For Australia, who sit at the top of the tree at the moment, they need 5 wins out of their remaining 7 matches to reach the final without depending on others. Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa, who have 4,3 and 4 matches remaining in the current cycle will have to win all their matches to make it.
India will begin their Australia tour in Perth on November 22 and could be without their skipper Rohit Sharma, who is awaiting the birth of his second child.
