Australia stormed back into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a scintillating 10-wicket win. The pink-ball clash was always going to be a tricky one for the visitors since they haven’t played one in more than two and a half years and under lights in helpful conditions, Australian bowlers proved to be too good for India’s flailing batting line-up. Travis Head was the star with the bat for the Australians, smashing a run-a-ball 140 but more than the bowling, the lack of defiance and accountability from the batters in both innings probably cost India the match.
The loss had serious repercussions on India’s position on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table as the two-time finalists dropped a couple of places from the top to the third. India’s PCT reduced to 57.29 after the defeat and now their qualification for the final has taken a serious hit. On the other hand, Australia after a blip in Perth are back in contention and are now at the top of the table with a PCT of 60.71.
India have three matches left in the current cycle and the visitors have to win all three. The 3-0 hammering against New Zealand at home meant that India couldn’t afford a slip-up Down Under. If India win all their remaining three games, their PCT will reach 64.03 and that too won’t confirm qualification with South Africa breathing down their necks rather ferociously. South Africa are on their way to wallop Sri Lanka and are expected to win at least one game against Pakistan, if not both.
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Australia will be through if they win three out of their remaining five matches (3 against India at home, 2 against Sri Lanka away) and South Africa if they win all their remaining games, can reach a PCT of over 69. Hence, India’s only chance is to win their remaining three matches and diminish Australia’s chances as much as possible.
It seems difficult but isn’t impossible. However, India will need a staggering comeback at Gabba to get past this loss because it was a below-par performance across two and a half days.
