World Test Championship: England on top, India slips to fourth position, here's what they need to do to qualify

India's heavy defeat at the hands of England in the first Test in Chennai has led them to slip to the fourth position in the WTC points table


Joe Root and James Anderson

England defeated India by 227 runs in the first Test | England Cricket

Share

Written By

Edited By

Anshul Gupta

Source

DNA webdesk

Updated: Feb 9, 2021, 03:42 PM IST

England have comprehensively beaten the Indian team in the first Test of the four-match series in Chennai. As a result, the 227-run defeat is not just a blow to the hosts' chances in the series, but also to their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Lord's.

The defeat in the clash at Chepauk meant England went to the top of the pile in the WTC points table and subsequently India slipped to the fourth position, now even behind the Australian side. The heavy defeat had landed India in trouble and severely dented their hopes of the Lord's date with New Zealand in June this year.

What does India need to do?

India were at 430 points out of 600 played before the series began. However, after the loss, they still have 430 points in the kitty but out of 630. The loss has taken their points percentage (PCT) to 68.25, further below than that of Australia. The loss means, India now can't lose any of the three remaining games in the series and have to win at least two.

India will have to win the series against England by margins of 2-1 or 3-1 to ensure their PCT stays ahead of Australia to qualify for the final.

India needed 381 runs on the final day of the Test match, however, left-arm spinner Jack Leach and James Anderson ran through the Indian middle-order as apart from skipper Virat Kohli, none of the other batsmen could offer any resistance and the Indian side succumbed to a heavy defeat.

What does England need to do?

With this win, England have boosted their chances of facing New Zealand in another Test match at home this season (England and New Zealand will be playing two Tests in June before the WTC final takes place at Lord's).

England's PCT before the series was at 68.67 (412 points out of 600 played) but this win has helped it to rocket to 70.15, resulting in them leapfrogging New Zealand in the points table. The situation for the England side is clear, they have to win at least two more games, and they will be through. If they lose two out of the remaining three in the series, they will be out of the reckoning from the race to the final.

So, England has to win the series by margins of 3-1, 3-0 or 4-0 to make it to the final.

What do Australia should hope for?

For Australian side, whose fate depends on this series can only hope for the results to go in their favour to have hopes of meeting their Trans-Tasman rivals in the final. They don't need India winning the series, which means they will be hoping for England to win one more match, but not more than that.

Thus, scenarios for Australia to qualify will be if England win the series by 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or if the series gets drawn by 1-1 or 2-2 between the two teams.