Team India won the second Test in Bengaluru by 238 runs. Rohit Sharma’s led India team have moved up to the World Test Championship table. The debate about whether India would compete in the event’s finals for the second time in a row has begun. In this article, we will look at what team India needs to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship finals in 2023.
What is the 2023 ICC World Test Championship?
The 2023 ICC World Test Championship, a nine-team global event, is a two-year competition that culminates in the crowning of the winner of the 2023 World Test champion after a league campaign and a spectacular decider.
The format of the second edition is the same as the first. Each team will play 3 home and 3 away series to determine the qualifiers for the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final. The final date and location will be announced at a later date.
A series of cricket tournaments will be held to select which countries will compete in the 2023 Cricket World Cup. In total, 32 countries are participating in the qualification process, with 10 of them qualifying for the World Cup.
How is the points system different this time?
This time, instead of each series being worth the same amount of points as in the first edition, each match is worth the same number of points. A team receives 12 points for winning a match, four points for a draw, and six points for a tie.
The points system has been simplified by granting the same number of points for a Test win regardless of series length. In the first edition, each series carried 120 points, which were divided based on the number of matches, so a Test match may be worth as little as 24 points (for a five-match series) or as much as 60 points (for a two-match series). This meant that winning complete points was simpler in shorter series than in longer ones. We are attempting to address this issue by implementing this new system.
Team India completes whitewash against Sri Lanka, aims for 2023 ICC World Test Championship finals.
India’s start to the ongoing WTC cycle was less than ideal. As a result, India was under pressure heading into the home Test series against Sri Lanka. Given that Sri Lanka is a subcontinent squad, India was expected to face a difficult battle. That, however, did not occur.
India batted Sri Lanka out of the game in both games, in Mohali and Bengaluru. While they produced a good score in the first innings at Mohali, they made 252 runs in the first innings at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. It was enough, and the bowlers finished the job, giving India two massive victories.
India was ranked fifth in the WTC points rankings heading into this series. However, following the victory over Sri Lanka, India has risen to fourth place. It could alter in a day or two depending on the outcome of the present Test between Australia and Pakistan.
India will play seven games before the World Tennis Championship final. Here is the qualification scenario dependent on how India handles these seven matches. Please keep in mind that this is contingent on the results of the other teams.
India may be hoping for a few victories at home, but Australia will be a tough opponent.
So far, India has played 11 matches. They have won six games, lost three, and drawn two. They are ranked fourth in the points table with a PCT of 58.33. Sri Lanka is ranked fifth in the points table. Recently got defeated 2-0 in a Test series against India with a PCT of 50.0.
The big question is, Will teams qualify according to total points won or percentage points?
To compensate for the disparity in the number of matches played by teams, teams will qualify based on a percentage of points won. The WTC began with a total points system, but when it became evident that all series could not be finished as planned due to the COVID-19 disruption, it got converted to a percentage points system. It aided at the end of the first cycle inside the competition window.
This system compares the relative performance of teams at any point in time. As a result, the cancellation of any matches or series has no direct impact on the points’ standings.
