Team India succumbed to New Zealand by eight wickets in their opening Test in Bengaluru on October 20, Sunday. The crushing defeat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium marked Rohit Sharma's India's third defeat of the current World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 cycle. The match was a tale of two halves for India, who were humbled by New Zealand's bowling attack in the first innings, being bowled out for a mere 46 runs.
Despite the early setback, India staged a remarkable comeback in their second innings, posting a formidable total of 462 runs. Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant were instrumental in this resurgence, forming a crucial partnership. However, a late batting collapse prevented India from setting an even more challenging target for New Zealand. New Zealand easily chased down the 107-run target with eight wickets to spare. the defeat resulted in a dip in their Percentage Points (PCT) to 68.06 in the current WTC 2023-2025 points table. Nevertheless, they managed to retain their top position in the WTC table.
New Zealand has consistently proven to be a formidable opponent for India in ICC events. This recent Test defeat has further complicated India's qualification scenario for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
How can India make it to the WTC 2023-205 final?
Prior to the series, India required at least four wins and two draws to secure a place in the WTC final. A 3-0 series sweep against New Zealand would have significantly eased the pressure on the team during the upcoming Australian tour, necessitating only one win and two draws. However, the loss to New Zealand has increased the stakes, as India can now afford to lose only one more Test match in Australia. To maintain their qualification hopes, they must win two Tests and secure two draws, a challenging task given the strength of the Australian team.
India must now focus on maintaining a PCT above 56 to remain in contention for the WTC final.
South Africa and Australia are also strong contenders for the WTC final, and their results will play a crucial role in determining the final spots. If South Africa were to lose their upcoming series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, India's chances of qualifying for the final would significantly improve. While there are numerous possibilities, India's best strategy is to focus on winning the remaining four Tests to secure their place in the final without relying on other teams' results.
Here's how the WTC 2023-2025 points table looks like after India's defeat against New Zealand
| Pos. | Team | Mat. | Won | Lost | Drawn | Points | PTC |
| 1 | India | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 98 | 68.06 |
| 2 | Australia | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 90 | 62.5 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 60 | 55.56 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 44.44 |
| 5 | England | 18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 93 | 43.06 |
| 6 | South Africa | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 38.89 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 33 | 34.38 |
| 8 | Pakistan | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 25.93 |
| 8 | West Indies | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 18.52 |
